for if these Rains fall not and the Clouds obscured not the Sun that great heat of the Sun would render the ground Sandy and Steril as Lybia and Arabia where these Rains are not the Sun being near the Vertex Contrary wise in the Months of December January and February they should have Winter or lesser heat because that then the Sun is most remote from them and then they have Summer Yet in the night the Air is cold enough moreover a continual Wind from the 12th hour of the day to the 12th hour of the night bloweth from the Sea which is very acceptable 14. In the Coast of the East Indies which is called Choromandel the seasons also differ from the Heavens for in the Months of March April May and June the Sun causeth vehement heat and there is no rain Now the People which for the most part are Saracens divide the year into the hot the wet and the Cold seasons the hot or Summer as I have said is in the months of March April May and June but the intollerable heat is from the middle of May to the middle of June the Wind blowing from the North unto which if you turn your face you shall discover so great a heat of the Air as if you drew nigh an Oven for the Sun then in that Plaga is in the Meridies also the Wood and Stones contract a great heat yet the Waters in the Wells is so cold that many drinking thereof for extream heat dye The greatest heat of the day is between Nine in the Forenoon and Three in the Afternoon in these intermedial hours they rest from travelling the other hours before Nine in the Morning and Three in the Afternoon the Air is at least tolerably temperate serene and acceptable the Heaven delightful and travelling pleasant The VVet season taketh up four months July August September and October The Cold season November December January and February in December and January the Cold is sensible enough especially in the night Here are many things which deserve our enquiry for in the months of March April May and June the Sun cometh to those places of the Coast of Choromandel and becometh Vertical to them therefore it is no wonder if they have great heat but why have they not the same heat in July and August feeing he is equally as near them in those months and by reason of the former heat it should be more hot Moreover why do the seasons of the Coast of Choromandel differ from the seasons of the Coast of Malabar seeing that they both lie in the same Climate and have the Sun Vertical on the same days and on the same remote And that which is more to be wondered at there interceedeth between these two Regions in some places 70 in others only 20 miles interval so that you may come into a place of a serene and servid Air where the Winter predominateth and that in the space of one day Masseus thus speaketh of these places In these Regions saith he amongst other admirable things that above others exceedeth the reach of all Philosophers that in the same Plaga of the Heavens in the equal access and recess of the Sun in the same months of the year from the Sun rising beyond the Mountain of Gatis which by a direct excursion to the Promontory of Cori intersects the whole Region of Malabar there is Summer and drought and from the West on this side Gatis there are Rains and Winter that in so near a propinquity of places in respect of the course of the seasons the same People almost seem Antipodes one to another But not only in these but also in others we have shewed this diversity to be found and shall shew more anon The cause is the scituation of the Mountains which determinate the Land of Choromandel from Malabar proceeding from the North towards the South To this must be added divers Winds for on the Coast of Choromandel a general Eastern Wind is more discovered except in the Summer months of May and June which driveth the vapours towards the tops of the Mountains whence it raineth in the Land of Malabar These Mountains tops are discovered to be continually covered with Clouds in the Pluvial months also more vehement Showrs in those where the rain is in Malabar But when it raineth in the Region of Choromandel then is there a serenity in the tops of the Mountains as in the Land of Malabar except the months July and August for in these it raineth in both Lands 15. In the Regions of the Gangick Sea opposite to the Coast of Chroromandel and in the Northern Torrid Zone as Sian Peru the Chersonesus of Malacca the Pluvial months in which the Rivers overslow are September October and November But in the Land of Malacca it raineth every week of the year twice or thrice except the months of January February and March in which there is a continual drought All these are contrary to the Celestial course and their causes must be sought from the Mountains Winds the propinquity of the Sea and the like But because as yet we have no accurate observations concerning these Regions we will not search them here The chief cause of the Fertility of these Regions is the overflowing of the Rivers The vapours of the adjacent Sea the Rivers and the Winds do much allay the heat whence the Inhabitants have great plenty of Fruits In the Kingdom of Patana and those bordering on it the Summer beginneth in February and continueth to the end of October in which time there is a continual heat which is allayd with a continual Oriental Wind the Air wholsom In November December and January there are continual Rains which yet do not hinder a new increase every month at the least The same must be understoood of Camboja And this Winter agreeth with the Celestial course 16. Leaving Asia the Pacifick Sea being Sayled over we enter that part of America which lieth under the Torrid Zone which is twofold South and North the South again is twofold Peru and Brazilia although the parts of Peru be vicine yet they have contrary Seasons in one and the same time for the Region of Peru is divided into three parts the Shoar or Maritim part the Mountainous and the Plain part which he in the same Climate In the Mountainous places they have a Plavial Winter from the month of October to the end of March when they should have Summer by the vicinity of the Sun They have Summer from the entrance of April to October in which months no Rains do fall but in the Winter months there are continual Rains Therefore the Terrestrial seasons differ here from the Celestial In Maritim Peru there is almost no Winter in the whole year but they account their Winter from the month of April to October which agreeth with the Celestial cause because the Sun is then removed from them to the Tropick of Cancer and thence returneth by reason
are under the 52 degree of South Latitude yet they have no very hot Summer So that the Hollanders in the month of January when there should be an hot Summer found a great glade of Ice in the Creek of one of their Seas In the Mountains of the adjacent Coasts Snow is discovered all the Summer long and it is observed that in almost all the Regions of the South Temperate Zone they have a Cold far more intense in Winter and a violency of Rain and a less heat in Summer than the parts of our Northern Temperate Zone Whether this be the cause that the Sun makes a longer stay and the slower progress in the Semicircle of the Northern Zodiac than in the Southern is to be questioned In the Neighbouring Province of Peru which they call La Valla Imperial in the Province of Potosi they find so great a Cold that for four miles circumference there groweth nothing The season of Chili In the Kingdom of Chili which extendeth it self from 30 degrees of South Latitude to 50 degrees the Spring beginneth in the months of August sooner than the Celestial Account admitteth and endeth in the middle of November And from the middle of November Summer beginneth even to the middle of February from whence Autumn leadeth on to the middle of May which the Winter succedeth which is very violent and dispoileth the Trees of their Blossoms and scattereth a deep Snow with a vehement Frost which yet is discovered by the Sun except which is very seldom that the Sun appeareth not but the Snow rarely falleth in the Vallies for although it falls in great abundance and is heaped up so high that it ascends the tops of Mountains and is heaped together in the vacuity of the Mountains as in so many wells and indure almost the whole year yet being there dissolved they flow into the Rivers and Torrents which run through the Vallies with a great force even to the Sea to the great enrichment of the Grounds But although here it Snow not except rarely in the Plains yet it maketh so excessive a Frost that the like is scarcely felt in many parts of Europe which happeneth partly from the Altitude of the Pole partly from the propinquity of the Mountains from which descend so subtile and penetrating Winds that sometimes they are unsufferable whence it cometh to pass that the Maritim parts are more temperate He that is Studious may collect other differences of Region under the same Climate or in the vicine Climates from Writers for example that in England the Air is not so cold as in Holland so that they pen not up their Heards in the Winter Betwen Siberia and Tartaria in a place seated not far from the Frigid Zone in the end of our Temperate are said to be plesant Fields and rich Pastures almost no cold seeing that they scarce feel Winter where by the command of the Duke of Moscovia the City Tooru is built which is at this day so much encreased that it is able to repell the Assaults of the Tartars The Island of Japan In Japan the Winter is Cold Snowy Ruiny when yet other Regions of Europe and Asia lying under the same Climate have far lesser Winter the cause is because that Japan consists of many Islands disjoyned by a small Euripus and that it also lyeth in the middle of the Ocean America very hot in the Summer In Armenia and the adjoyning places there is great heat in Summer because it lieth amongst Mountains here and there mixed with Fields hence the more rich in some places in Summer remove to the tops of the Mountains and remain there for some months but the meaner sort in the day time defend themselves in the Mountains from the near and about eventide do descend to the lower ground Proposition XIII To declare how in places in the Frigid Zone the four Seasons of the year have themselves with the light Of the places in the Frigid Zone The cause of those Seasons with the light proposed in the entrance of this Chapter thus stands in the Frigid Zone 1. The Center of the Sun for some days or months as the place is either nearer or remote from the Pole doth not arise above the Horizon and for so many days setteth not 2. In those days when he is above the Horizon he only illustrateth those places with his oblique raies because he is not much elevated above the Horizon but moveth round it because those places are over much removed from the way of the Sun 3. The Sun is not deeply depressed beneath the Horizon yea in places near the Polary Circle or Artick Pole although the Center of the Sun doth not arise yet part of his Skirt ariseth and is beheld for some days above the Horizon before the Center it self ariseth by reason that the half Sun possesseth 15 minutes in the Heaven For example let us take those places whose distance is from the Aequator 67 degrees towards the Pole Artick let the Pole be elevated according to this Latitude and in the Meridian Crena of the Horizon you shall see that the degrees of the Ecliptick do not arise from the 19th degree of Sagittarius to the 11 of Capricorn that is the Center of the Sun being in that Arch doth not arise for 24 days viz. from the 10th of December to the 4th of January and yet part of the Skirt of the Sun for that whole time shall be above the Horizon to wit on the 21 of December the Limbus glittereth the Horizon but on the 10 of December as also on the first of January half the Sun shall be above the Horizon and half beneath because the Center is then in the Horizon But the whole Sun shall be elevated above the Horizon when the Center of the Sun shall hold the 14 degree of Capricorn that is about the 4 day of January also the whole shall afterwards appear when his Center shall possess the 16 degree of Sagittarius that is about the 7 of December But in places where the elevation of the Pole is 70 or 75 degrees there this difference between the Oriental Limbus and the Oriental Center is very little so that the Limbus or Skirt scarcely anticipateth the rise of the Center of the Sun one day or half a day From this smallest of depression it followeth also that they enjoy the light of the Crepusculum many hours before the rising and after the setting of the Sun and although the Sun ariseth not yet in all or many of the hours of the day they have light in the Air. There is also another cause See Chap. 19. which maketh the Sun first to be seen before that he is elevated above the Horizon For thence it cometh to pass that not only the Sun is seen before he is elevated above the Horizon and before the Raies can directly come from him to the Eye but also that the light of the Twilight sooner illustrateth
that the people pass to and fro as it were in throngs near to this City are Josephs 7 Granaries now brought to ruines yet 4 of them are so repaired as they are made use of to keep the publick Corn. On the South end of this City he saith there yet remaineth a round Tower wherein Pharaohs daughter lived when she found Moses in the River which runs hard by it South West of Grand Cairo on the other side of the Nile about four Leagues distance stands the three oldest and greatest Pyramides the Jews affirming them to be built by Pharaoh who was drowned in the Red Sea the fairest for himself the next for his Wife and the least for his only Daughter The greatest of the three and chief of the Worlds Seven Wonders is made in form Quardangular lessening by equal degrees the Basis of every Square is 300 paces in length and so lessening by degrees ascending by 250 steps each being about 3 feet high the Stones are all of a bigness and hewed four square And in this as also in the others there are several Rooms There are also about 16 or 18 other Pyramides but of less note and not so ancient as these 3 aforesaid are which I shall pass by Nigh to this City in the Plain is the place where they did inter their dead in which they used such art that the bodies of their dead remain to this day perfect sound and these we call Mummies The places where these bodies ly are about ten fathom under ground in Vaults either in the Sand or upon an open stone The Earth is full of dry Sand wherein moisture never comes which together with their art of Embalming them doth thus preserve the bodies for some thousand years past In the brest of these Mummies is set a small Idol some of one shape some of another with Hieroglyphicks on the back side of them This City of Grand Cairo was formerly of a very great Trade but that which hath now ruined it as likewise that of Alexandria is the discovery of the East Indies by the Cape of Good Hope by which the English Portugals and Hollanders at present go to these Indies and bring into the West all those Drugs Spices Precious Stones Pearls and a thousand other Commodities which came before by Aleppo or by Egypt but passing by Cairo let us come to the other Cassilifs The Cassilifs in the lower Egypt In the lower Egypt are those of Garbia Menufia and Callioubech within the Delta and between the Branches of the Nile That of Mansaura without and Eastward towards the Holy Land and Arabia Likewise without and Westward of the Nile is the Cassilif of Bonhera or Baera which stretches it self from the Nile unto the Cape of Bonandrea This last Cassilif is almost quite out of Egypt though within its Government and the length of its Sea Coast not less then that of all Egypt along the Nile But that which is distant from the Nile is subject to the Arabs and very Desart that which is near it is better worth It s Governor is obliged to Mannel a Callech or Channel of 100000 paces in length to carry water from the Nile to Alexandria and when a new Bassa arrives in Egypt this Governor hath likewise to furnish him with Horses and Camels for himself his Train and Baggage and to defray his charges from Alexandria unto Cairo But since the Wars with the Venetians the Bassa's have generally come round by Land and not adventured by Sea to Alexandria Among the Desarts of this Cassilif those of St. Macaire have had 360 and odd Monasteries And here is likewise to be seen a Lake of Mineral Water which converts into Nitre the Wood Bones or Stones that are thrown into it The Cassilifs of Callioubech Menousia and Garbia being between the Branches of the Nile and out of the course of the Arabs ought to be esteemed the best in Egypt and particularly the last which yields more abundantly Sugar Rice Milk Grains Oyl Flax Herbs Honey Fruits c. And Maala one of its principal Cities which they call the Little Medina is a place of great devotion with them where they hold yearly a famous Fair which the Governor opens with great pomp observing many Ceremonies The Cassilif of Mansoura doth produce the same Commodities but not in so great a quantity though of a greater extent then Garbia but more over it yields Cassia These four or five Cassilifs take up the whole Coast of Egypt and of its Government and on this Coast are the Cities of Alexandria Rosetto Damiata and some others The City of Alexandria Alexandria among the Turks Scanderia was built by the command of Alexander the Great and by him peopled with Greeks immediately after the conquest of Egypt and the Moddel traced by the Architect Dinocrates who for want of other matter made use of Wheat-flower to mark out the circuit which was taken for a good Augury It was afterwards beautified by many but especially by Pompey It is scituated Westward of the Delta over against the Isle of Pharos and built upon a Promontory thrusting it self into the Sea with which on the one side and on the other the Lake Mareotis It is a place of good defence its circuit is about 12000 paces adorned with many stately Edifices among which the most famous was the Serapium or the Temple of their god Serapis Which for curious workmanship and the stateliness of the Building was inferior to none but the Roman Capitol then the Library erected by Ptolomy Philadelphus in which there were 200000 Volums which Demetrius promised to augment with 300000 more And this in the War against Julius Caesar was unfortunately burnt And this is that Philadelphus who caused the Bible to be translated into Greek by the 72 Interpreters which were sent him by the High Priest Eleazar In this City in Anno 180 Gantenus read Divinity and Philosophy who as it is thought was the first institutor of Vniversities This City hath been enriched with 400 high and strong Forts and Towers and the Ptolomies or Kings of Egypt having made here their residence after the death of Alexander the Great and caused many stately and magnificent Palaces to be built Under the Houses are Gisterns sustained with Pillars of Marble as also Pavements for their refreshment being their Summer habitation their ancient custom by reason of the heat being to build their Houses as much under ground as above the upper part serving for their Winter habitation It was their custom also to erect great Pillars of Marble or Porphyry among others that of Pompey which stands upon a four square Rocky Foundation without the Walls on the South side of the City It is round and of one intire piece of Marble and of an incredible bigness being above One hundred foot high not far from the place where he was slain in a Boat at Sea and where his ashes were laid In this City are also two
five miles distance Fourthly some Gulphs or Whirlpools are found in the Sea Fifthly Earthquakes do also prove the being of Cavities under the Earth Sixthly some Rivers bury themselves under the Earth as Niger Tigris c. Seventhly Salt-springs which without doubt for the greatest part spring and flow from the Sea are found in many places Eightly so in many places the grounds at the entrance of men walking tremble and shake as about the Abby of St. Omer in Flanders in the Province of Brabant die Peel Proposition IV. The Superficies or surface of the Lands is continual but that of the Waters is not so Indeed the Superficies of the Earth or Land appearing out above the Waters is continued or always the same to the superficies of the Channels of the Sea and this of the Sea again is continued to the other parts of the Land appearing above One continual superficies of the Ocean Bays and Rivers So there is one continual superficies of the Ocean the Baies and Rivers but not of all Waters because there are some Lakes which are not joyned with the Ocean in the superficies as the Lake Parime and the Caspian Sea Proposition V. It is certain how or in what manner the parts of the Earth which are removed from the surface that is from our habitation towards the Center Some men think that the Water is in the bottom about the Center of the Earth The body of the Earth within according to Gilbert an English man is a hard Loadstone but it is most likely true that the Earth occupies that place Gilbert an English man is of opinion that the body of the Earth within is nothing else but a most hard Loadstone but that those parts to which men have admittance by digging and in which Herbs grow and we also live are as it were the shell or crust of the Earth wherein continual generations and corruptions are made * See Fig. But Cartesius is of a different opinion See Scheme Cartesius his Opinion is not much different from this who thinketh that there are three Regions or Parts of divers substance in the body of the Earth The most inward Region of the Earth he deemeth to be about the Center thereof the second he judgeth to be thick and dusky of very small parts the third he thinketh wherein Men are employed to be made up of little parcels not well cleaving together But indeed touching this thing there can scarcely any certainty be affirmed It is manifest by the hot-Baths that in very many places under the Earth fire and fumes are lifted up from Sulphur Proposition VI. The consistency or standing and fast cleaving together of the Earth is from Salt In all kinds of Earths may be found a certain kind of Salt The Artificial resolving of the Parts of the Earth sheweth that in all Earths may be found a certain kind of Salt and so much the more as the harder the body is a few Oily ones being excepted as in Mettals Stones c. and that the concretion or hard growing together of all things is by reason of salt is manifest by stones which we may by Art make very hard with salt bur if you separate the salt from the earth she will no longer cleave or stick together but will be a powder neither can it be reduced to hardness without the admixtion of salt thereto Proposition VII The kinds of Earths are divers ways mixed together in the Earth Of Metals found in Mines Thus in Mines are found small pieces of Gold Silver Lead c. not heaped together and joyned apart from others but both mixed among themselves and also with unprofitable earth according to the least parts that Artificers not at the first sight but by divers signs do find out what may be contained in any Metalline earth In the same manner in the Fields sand is mixed with clay or loam lime salt c. Of the different sorts of Earths as did appear by the Well digged at Amsterdam When as on a certain time at Amsterdam for making a Well the earth was digged out even to the depth of 232 foot these sorts of earth were shewed to the beholders viz. of Garden-earth 7 foot of Black-earth fitting for fire which is called Peat 9 foot of Soft-clay 9 foot of Sand 8 foot of Earth 4 foot of Clay 10 foot of Earth 4 foot of Sand upon which the Houses of Amsterdam are wont to be rammed and paved 10 foot of Clay 2 foot of White-loam 4 foot of Dry-earth 5 foot of muddy 1 foot of Sand 14 foot of Sandy-clay 3 foot of Sand mixt with Clay 5 foot of Sand mixt with Sea-fish shells 4 foot then a bottom of Clay to the depth of 102 foot and lastly of loam 31 foot where the digging ceased and they came to Water The Figure of which see among the Schemes Proposition VIII The Cavities of the Earth and as well the outward disposition thereof and the position of its parts are not perpetually the same but are at divers times divers The water of the Seamaketh divers changes and ruins in the earth where likewise lye hid Spirits and Sulphureous Substances Indeed not only the Water of the Sea maketh divers changes and ruins in the parts of the earth whilst certain holes are stopt up some are made more broad but also Spirits and Sulphury Substances lying hid here and there in the earth when they begin to encrease and to be resolved into Vapours do impetuously shake and thrust forwards the parts of the earth as it is manifest by Earthquakes And it is likely that such like motions are made in the interiour parts and bowels of the earth the greatest part of which we feel not neither perceive But we will speak of the mutual changing of the water and earth in the Superficies of the earth in the eighteenth Chapter The Earth is divided into Land and Waters The Superficies of the Earth extant out of the Water by the Interflux of the Sea is distinguished into these four parts 1. Into great Continents or great Islands of which four are reckoned by us 1. The Old World whose parts are Asia Africa and Europe The bounds of this Continent are On the North the Frozen and Tartarian Ocean On the East the Pacifick and Indian Ocean On the South the Southern Ocean On the West the Atlantick Ocean 2. The New World or America whose parts are Meridionalis Septentrionalis The bounds of it are On the North Davis Streights On the East the Atlantick Ocean On the South the Pacifick Ocean On the West the Streights of Magellan 3. The Polary North-land or Greenland is every where encompassed by the Sea and Streights 4. The South-land and Land of Magellan yet undiscovered 2. Into Peninsulas or Chersonesus which are parts of those Continents Round whose Latitude and Longitude are equal about Africa it self Peloponesus the Chersonesus of Grecia Chersonesus Taurica or Tartaria
apprehend it from his words neither do I see how it can follow from his Hypothesis It is probable that the Sun and general winds do very much contribute to this intumescency of the water and seeing that the Sun in the Aequinoctials doth incumb on the middle of the Sea of the Torrid Zone therefore either he or the winds cause that the Sea then swelleth more than at another time But as concerning the Solstices we must say in a contrary mode or that the same is the cause of the greater intumescency of the Sea in the time of the Aequinoctials either of the Spring or Autumn which is the cause of more frequent rains winds and inundadions in those seasons Proposition XIV In some parts of the Ocean Gulphs and Shoars great is the encrease and decrease of the water in the influx and deflux in other some it is very small in some not discernable and so there is no flux and reflux or intumescency and detumescency The increase and decrease of the water in several parts of the Ocean Those places receive great Augmentation and decrease 1. That are under the Torrid Zone between the Tropicks for then the Moon pressing for the most part is there carried round 2. In places that are directly extended from East to West or nigh the Collateral quarters 3. In those Gulphs that are long and less broad the Augmentation is the more sensible 4. In those places in which few Islands or procurrents adjoyn to the Earth The greatest flux and deflux in the Streight of Cambaja The greatest flux and deflux hitherto observed is that which is in the Streight of Cambaja in one of the inlets of the River Indus and it hath struck many with admiration for the water recedeth to an high distance and that very speedily Whence not without reason the River Indus or the Gulph of Cambaja is thought to be that unto which when that Alexander the Great came and endeavoured to pass his Army over as it is there related the water presently went back and left his Ships a ground hence he went no farther but judged that the Gods had here fixed the bounds of his Expedition with a prohibition of proceeding any farther The cause is the small or narrow and deep depression of the Channel but yet 't is probable there was some other cause Fluv and reflux at Damman At the City Damman in India not far from Surat the Altitude of the water by flux and reflux is varied at two and a half Orygas and the Sea departeth from the shoar the space of half a mile In the Gulph of Cambaja the flux augmenteth the Altitude five Orgyas others say seven which unusual augmentation hath been the cause of the loss of many Ships by unexperienced Mariners for the water falling they have been split on the Rocks No constant time of the flux and reflux in the Streights of Magellan The flux and reflux in the Red-sea In the Gulphs and shoars of the Streights of Magellan no constant time of the flux and reflux is observed for sometimes the water floweth and refloweth in three hours othersome in twelve hours which inconstancy is to be ascribed to the violent irruption of the Ocean into that Streight and from the various agitations of the wind About Malacca also at the Streight of Sunda a notable flux and deflux is observed In the Arabian Gulph or Red Sea some of the Ancients have written that there is so great a reflux as Scaliger writeth that Moses and the Israelites passed over without any Miracle But it is false because the reflux is not there so great as to leave the Channel dry On the Coasts of China the flux and reflux is very sensible as also at the Isles of Japan At Panama on the Coast of America lying at the Pacifick Ocean the Sea is very much exalted The Sea at the flux much exalted at Panama and by and by depressed again in the full Moons the flux is so much augmented that water entreth into the Houses of the City Yea in almost all the shoars of the South Sea the Altitude of the water is wonderfully augmented and diminished so that in the reflux the decrease is sensible for two miles In the Gulph of Bengala at the shoar of Sâ—am the flux augmenteth the Altitude ten foot The flux not perceivable in the Mediterranean Sea But in the Mediterranean Sea which floweth in through the Streights of Gibralter from the West to the East the flux is not perceivable because the scituation is contrary to the quarter into which the Sea is moved and therefore the water of it is little augmented by the flux so that it is not discernable unless in the Gulph of Venice which by reason of its long extension and small Latitude sheweth the flux and reflux when in the other part of the Mediterranean Sea by reason of its notable Latitude that little augmentation and decrease is not discovered Whence this flux and reflux was unknown to the Grecians as also to the Romans in the time of Scipio Africanus And the Grecians as well as the Romans accounted it as miraculous what sometimes they discovered in other places as is manifest from the Expedition of Alexander the Great and of Scipio in the expugnation of Carthage but in the time of Cicero it was known to the Romans Yet some observed it a little at Massilia also at certain Coasts of Barbary it is noted enough The flux and reflux in the Baltick Sea not yet found out In the Baltick Ocean as also in the whole Northern Sea beyond England towards Norway and Greenland the flux and reflux of the Sea is not yet found out as neither in the North Coast of the Pacifick Ocean But the cause is not yet sufficiently known unless you will say that those Seas are remote from the course of the Moon and also that they are extended from the West to the East and North moreover that many Isles and procurrencies of land do hinder These three must be conjoined to impede the flux of the Sea in these places Proposition XV. The flux and reflux of the Sea is a violent motion viz. an impulse but the reflux is a natural motion of the water For the flux is caused by the pression of the Moon or matter between the Moon and the Earth or also because that the Sea doth not remain in that scituation which is received in the flux this is a sign that it was a violent motion But in the reflux the Sea is moved from a more high place to a more depressed place which is the natural motion of water Lemma The place of the Moon being given in the Ecliptick and the Latitude and hour of the day from an Ephemerides or by Supputation or Astronomical observation to find on the Terrestrial Globe the place unto which the Moon at the hour given is vertical also to exhibit all those places of the Earth unto
February in Congo Here therefore the Terrestrial Season is repugnant to the Celestial because that in January and February the Sun is not most remote from those places and therefore they should not have Rain but rather Siccity Without doubt the cause is either from another scituation of the Mountains another fixed Wind or the like 6. The Island of St. Thomas See the Description of St. Thomas and Anobon are very abundant in Sugar Grain Fruits and Meats and great plenty of Oranges c. 7. How the Seasons are in the other Regions of the Occidental Coasts of Africa from Lowango to the Tropick of Capricorn I have not yet found to be observed by any one 8. Therefore that shore being left and the Promontory of Good-hope being sayled about we return to the Tropick of Capricorn where the Oriental Coast of the Promontory or Tongue of Africa is discovered in which lyeth Zofala Mozambique Quiloa even to the Aequator which are illustrated by the Oriental Sun In these places the Winter is in the Months of September November December and January in the rest Siccity and Summer which time is contrary to that in which in Congo we have said that they have the Rain in Winter and yet these Regions lye from the Aequator but the ridge of Mountains which doubly divide this Prominent Tongue of Africa into the Eastern and Western Land questionless are the cause of this diversity The Land of these Regions are only of a moderate Fertility in many places Sandy Barren and scorched with the chalure of the Sun but the Rivers the adjacent Sea and general Easternly Wind much allay the heat 9. The other Regions of the Oriental Coasts of Africa lying from the Aequator towards the North at the mouth of the Arabian Gulph and hence to the Shore of the said Gulph even to the Tropick of Cancer these Regions I say what seasons they have and in what times of the year I have not yet found observed by any but that some write that this tract is barren sandy oppressed with such a violent heat and destitute of Rivers 10. As to the seasons in the Mediteranean part of Africa which is the Region of the Abyssines which is cut almost in the middle by the Aequator so that it hath some Provinces in the Southern Torrid Zone and very many in the Northern Torrid Zone 11. Now leaving Africa we enter the Regions of Asia lying under the Torrid Zone where first we meet with the Regions of Arabia adjacent to the Red Sea from Mecca to Aden 12 degrees from the Aequator towards the North which regard the West The Merchants at Aden negoriate their affairs in the Night season by reason of heat in the day on the East they have the Arabian Mountains These Regions are exceedingly infested with heat in March and April and more in the following Months whilst the Sun approacheth to their Vertex and about it it remaineth May June July and August the chalure is so great that the Inhabitants especially the better sort cause water to be poured on their Bodies all the day long or else lie in Vessels of Water to refresh them I suppose the cause to be the defect of watery Vapours because on the Oriental part the Region is Rocky and hath but few Rivers now the Oriental wind which is general although it be not there perceived repelleth the Vapours rising from the Red Sea Likewise the abundance of Sand which retaineth the heat received in the night and communicateth it to the Air. Therefore this time of the Summer and Winter agrees with the Celestial Course 12. The same is the case of all Arabia and its Eastern Coast 13. In Camboja in India lying under the Tropick of Cancer as also in the Regions of Malabar or the Eastern Coast of the Indies which regard the West and extend themselves from the North towards the South to the eighth degree of North Latitude I say these Regions the Winter or rainy Seasons possess the Months of June July August and September but especially from the middle of June to the middle of September Neither in all these places doth it rain in an equal time but more continually in the province of Goana and Cocina and less in Camboja where it only raineth three Months in the other eight months it seldome raineth in Camboja but in Goa in the Months of April and May it raineth but less vehement and beginning with Thunder and Storms so that to Autumn here may be ascribed half the Month of March also April and May to the 15th of June then from the 15th of June July and August to Winter likewise from the 15th of September to December the Spring the other Months from the 15th of December to the 15th of March to Summer The Winter is not so called from the cold as with us but from the Rains which then fall for in these Months is great drought because that the Water of the former Rains is extracted by the Sun from the Earth Yet the Inhabitants do not number four Seasons but only two Summer and Winter or rather a dry and a rainy Season Besides these Raines there are frequent Storms on the Coast and also Thunders in those rainy Months so that the Sea is supposed to be then shut up and many Rivers then overflow the Sea is open again in the Month of September and then Ships put forth to Sea from the Coast of Malabar into various parts of the world Neither are there any violent rains in these places in the Fields except some Storms by reason that it ceaseth for many hours of the day therefore it affordeth the Inhabitants a time of Planting and Sowing which they do in these watery Months The Air also is of a moderate heat at that time because the Sun is obstructed with Clouds so that the remote Inhabitants expatiate from the Shore to the Hills and Fields for recreation where the inundation is not great and incredible fertility is acquired to the Earth by this Rain But if these Raines fall not on the year as in Anno 1630. which seldom happens then all hope of Sowing and consequently Harvest is taken away thence cometh Scarcity of Corn a hot Sultery Air burning Feavours Pestilences and Deaths of Thousands of People In the said year 1630 A great Famine in Camboja in 1630. and the year following Mans Flesh was publickly sold in the Shambles in Camboja Sometimes the Shores do so rage that the Houses which are but slightly built fall by the inundation of the River They Sow in May and the beginning of June and Reap in November and December it is otherwise in Guiny This Summer and this Winter is contrary to the Celestial Course or Motion of the Sun for in the Months of July and August the Sun is vertical to those places or very near the Vertex therefore they must have heat and drought this is the great felicity of those places
it hath a fair Stone-bridge its Market-house or Guild-hall with a Free-School lately erected is a fine pile of building where the Major and Justices keep their Courts It enjoyeth a good Trade for Mault and Corn which is transported in Barges to London and its Markets which are on Tuesdays and Fridays which is the chief is very considerable for Grain and Provisions Abington the Shire-Town seated on the banks of the Thames Abington over which it hath a Bridge a Town of good antiquity and note in former time for its rich Abby 'T is at present well inhabited frequented and traded unto especially for its Mault is governed by a Major enjoyeth several Priviledges sendeth a Burgess to Parliament and hath two Markets weekly on Mondays and Fridays which are well served with Corn Mault and Provisions This County is adorned with many fair and stately Buildings hath been strengthned with 6 Castles and graced with three of his Majesties Houses In this Shire is the Vale of White-horse one of the fruitfullest Vales in England County of Bedford described BEDFORD a County for the generality of a fertil Soil both for Tillage and Pasturage the North and North-east parts being of a deep Clay the South a Chiltern and the midst a Sandy-ridge of Hills well clothed with Wood. 'T is a Country well inhabited and full of Gentry which is occasioned through its vicinity to the Counties of Lincoln and Huntington which in some places are troubled with unhealthful Fogs The chief Rivers that water it are the Owse and the Iwell This County is severed into 9 Hundreds in which are numbred 116 Towns besides 59 Endships and of these Towns 10 have the conveniency of Markets Bedford the Shire-Town pleasantly seated in a rich Soil and on the Owse Bedford which divideth it in the midst but joyned together by a fair Stone-bridge which for the prevention of passage hath two Gate-houses it was formerly strengthned with a Castle but in its place is now a Bowling-green much resorted unto by the Gentry The Town is large numbering 5 Parish Churches is well inhabited and its Markets which are on Tuesdays and Saturdays are well resorted unto that on Tuesdays being considerable for living Cattle and that on Saturdays as great for Corn and Provisions For Civil Magistrates it is governed by a Major 2 Bayliffs 2 Chamberlains a Recorder and other sub-Officers enjoyeth several Immunities and sendeth Burgesses to Parliament Dunstable Dunstablt seated on a Hill in a dry chalky-Chalky-ground yet by reason of a large Pond of standing-water in every one of the 4 Streets of the Town the Inhabitants find no want 'T is a place of great antiquity and was of note in the time of the Romans as appears by the Coins in the adjacent fields oft digged up which the Inhabitants call Madning-money and is at present of some note for the great abundance of Larks here caught It took the name of Dunstable from one Dun a notorious Robber that used to pester these parts The Town is fair well inhabited full of Inns as seated on the high Road and its Market which is on Wednesdays is very considerable for Corn Cattle and Provisions Bigleswade Bigleswade seated on the Ivell which falleth into the Owse over which it hath a fair Stone-bridge and on the Road from London to York which hath occasioned it to be well provided with Inns for the reception of Passengers and its Market on Tuesdays is at present very considerable for Grain Cattle Milch-kine and Provisions At Sande and Chesterfield near adjoyning now a Warren stood the famous City of Salena of the Romans which by the ruins of its Walls in many places yet to be seen makes it to have been of a large extent Buckingham shire describ'd BVCKINGHAM a Country for the generality of a fertil Soil it is divided into two parts that towards the South and East which riseth up into Hills which are sufficiently clothed with Wood is called the Chilterne the other lying Northwards bein plain is called the Vale and is the most fruitful for Tillage and Pasturage seeding great abundance of Sheep and Cattle It is well watered with the Owse and the Thames The ancient Inhabitants were the Catejulanii who yielded themselves to Caesar and upon the Saxons subduing the Romans it became part of the Kingdom of the Mercians This County is severed into 8 Hundreds in which are 185 Parish Towns of which 13 have the conveniency of Markets Buckingham Buckingham well seated on the Owse which almost encircles it over which it hath 3 fair Stone-bridges and in a low fruitful ground 'T was once a Town of good strength and of some note for its stately Prebend-house and its Chappel of St. John Baptist founded by Tho. Becket now made use of for a Free-School It is at present a fair and well inhabited Town Corporate governed by a Bayliff 12 principal Burgesses a Steward c. is dignified with the title of an Earldom hath the election of Parliament men and its Market on Saturdays is well served with all manner of Flesh Corn and other Provisions Stony-Stratford Stony-Stratford seated on the Owse a Town of great antiquity being the Romans Lactoradum and built upon the ancient Causway called Watling-street and is at present of a good largness containing 2 Parish Churches is well accommodated with Inns and hath a considerable Market for Corn Flesh and some Fish on Fridays Ailesbury seated on a branch of the Tame and in a fertil Vale so called which feeds store of Sheep It is a fair and well inhabited Borough-Town electing Parliament men is honoured with the Title of an Earldom is the usual place where the Assizes for the County are held having in the midst of the Town a fair shire-hall and its Market on Saturdays is very well served with Corn Cattle and Provisions High Wickham High Wickham well seated in a rich Soil a Major Town which for largeness and fair buildings is not inferiour to any in the County of note for its black Bone-Lace here made and its Markets on Fridays is very great for Corn Flesh Fish and all Provisions Cambridgshire described CAMBRIDGESHIRE a County of a different Soil the Southern part being Champain and indifferent fertil bearing excellent Corn and Barley of which the Inhabitants make abundance of Mault and here is gathered good store of Saffron the dearest commodity that England produceth And the Northern part called the Isle of Ely as made so by the Owse and its branches is Fennish and not so pleasant and wholsom to live in as the Southern but is recompenced with rich Pastures which feed abundance of Cattle which are very profitable to the Inhabitants and affords also great plenty of Fish and Fowl This County is severed into 17 Hundreds of which 14 are in the Southern part and 3 in the Northern called the Isle of Ely in which said Hundreds are 163 Parishes and forthe
Inlet thereof a very good traded Town and hath a considerable Market for all Provisions especially Fish on Thursdays St. Ivâ—â— St. Ivos or St. Ithes seated on an open Bay so called chiefly frequented by Fishermen for the taking of Pilchards and other Fish which are here plentifully caught It is a Town Corporate governed by a Major a Justice and 12 Aldermen sendeth Burgesses to Parliament and hath 2 Markets weekly viz. on Wednesdays and Saturdays It is observed that Men live here to a very great Age and are stronger hardy and addicted to wrestling pitching the Bar and other boysterous sports more than any other English men By Helford is a great Rock lying upon the ground the top whereof is hollow and filled with water which ebbs and flows as the Sea doth There is a very great Rock in this Shire called Mainamber which rests upon other smaller Rocks which with the push of a finger may be moved but cannot be moved out of its place by all the Art men can use Country of Cumberland described CVMBERLAND a County far engaged Northwards is very Mountainous and much inclined to sterility yet not without many fertil Valleys both for Tillage and Pasturnge It hath an Air very sharp and would be more were it not for the high Hills that break off the Northern and Western Storms In the howels of the Earth are rich Mines of Copper in great plenty also those of Iron Lead Black-lead â—oal and some of Silver and the Sea and large Lakes and Meers plentifully furnish the Inhabitants with Fish and Fowl And besides these Commodities this County produceth several Manufactures amongst which heretofore Fustians and now Linnen-cloth and course Broad-cloths in great plenty The Mountains of most note are Black-koum Hard-knot Wrey-nose Skiddow and Crossfell c. It is well watered with Rivers and hath many Lakes and Meers This Shire of all others in England sheweth the most Roman Antiquities for being in the utmost limits of their possessions it was always secured by their Garrisons and defended by that admirable Wall called the Picts Wall which ran from Sea to Sea about 100 miles and was 8 foot broad and 12 foot high and having at every 1000 paces a Watch-Tower erected in which Souldiers were kept and on this Wall grows the Vulnerary Plant. And being thus in the confines of Scotland it was exceedingly strengthned with Castles having about 25 publick ones besides the Houses of the Nobility and Gentry which were generally built Castle-wise It is severed into 5 Waâ—ds in which are 58 Parish Churches besides divers Chappels of Ease and hath 15 Market Towns Carlisle a City of great antiquity Carlisle and no less pleasantly than commodiously seated at the influx or meeting of several Rivers viz. the Eden Cauda and Petterill which on all parts except the South encompass it and for its further defence it is fortified with a strong and large Castle and Cittadel and fenced about with a strong Wall first built by Egfrid King of Northumberland which was defaced by the Danes and again rebuilt by King Rufus Its Houses are fair and well built is beautified with a Cathedral Church of curious workmanship it enjoyeth several Immunities sendeth Burgesses to Parliament is governed by a Major 12 Aldermen 2 Bailiffs and other sub-Officers It is a place well inhabited and traded unto chiefly for Fustians and its Market which is on Saturdays is very considerable for Corn Wool Provisions and several Country Commodities Cockermouth seated between the Derwent and the Coker Cockermouth which almost encompass it over which are two fair Stone-Bridges and between two Hills upon one of which standeth the Church a fair building and upon the other a spacious and stately Castle It is a well inhabited Borough Town graced with fair Buildings enjoyeth a good Trade especially for course Broad-clothâ— here made hath the election of Parliament men and its Market which is on Mondays is esteemed the best in the County for Corn next to Perith. Here is a Custom at their Fairs holden at Whitsontide and Martlemass for the hiring of Servants to which end all such that want Servants or Services do hither come the like is observed at Perith and most of the Market-Towns in the County Whithaven seated on a Creek of the Sea Whithaven indifferent commodious for Shipping which makes it to be well inhabited and frequented by Tradesmen especially by Fishermen and those that are related to Sea-Affairs who drive a good Trade to Ireland Scotland Chester Bristol and other parts having a Custom-house and several Vessels belonging to the Town whose chief Trade is for Salt and Coals here plentifully digged up It s Market is kept Thursdays Kavenglass a well built Maritim Town couched betwixt the Rivers Irt Ravenglass Esk and Mite with which the Sea doth encompass 3 parts of it and is a good road for Shipping which makes it to be a place of some Trade and hath a Market on Saturdays Keswick seated in a Valley Keswick hemmed in with Hills and the Mountains called Derwent Fells wherein are good Copper-Mines and not far from the Town is dug up Black-Lead or Wadd in great plenty The Town was formerly of greater account than now it is when the Mineral-men had here their Smelting-houses being at present not very considerable It hath a Market on Saturdays chiefly for Meal Flesh Butter and Cheese Perith seated on a Hill called Perith Fell Perith. and near the Rivers Eimont and Lowther a large well built and inhabited Town esteemed the second in the County although neither a Borough nor Town Corporate it is adorned with a fair Church and a large Market-place which every Tuesday is very much resorted unto being considerable for Corn living Cattle divers Commodities and all sorts of Provisions in great plenty Derbyshire described DERBYSHIRE a Midland County but inclined towards the North which makes it to be of a sharp Air especially upon the Peak Mountains The Soil is generally fertil chiefly the South and East parts which for the most part are enclosed and improved yielding good Corn and Grass and hath also store of Coal and Iron-stone The North and West parts are very hilly and stony and not so fertil except in Lead-Oar in which it much abounds yet not without some rich Valleys and on the Hills are bred good though not large Sheep in great abundance For Fuel it is not beholding to Wood having such great plenty of Coal that it supplies the defects of divers neighbouring Counties It is well watered with Rivers viz. the Trent Derwent Dove and Wye which are the chief and are passed over by about 21 Stone-bridges some of which are of considerable note as Burton over the Trent sustained by 35 large Stone-Arches Swarkeston-bridge over the fame River reputed near a mile long but much of it is rather a Causway than a Bridge Monks-bridge over the Dove and St. Marys-bridge at Derby over the
Parliament men is of great great strength as well by nature as art The Town is not large but is well inhabited and frequented by those that have relation to Sea-Affairs and the rather by reason of its safe and commodious Haven harbour for Ships and Vessels to Anchor in it being oft-times the station of the Navy Royal which and for being the ready passage to Holland where the Packet-boats are kept for that purpose doth occasion it to enjoy a good Trade yet its Market on Tuesdays is not very considerable About 4 miles Northwards from Harwich is Horsey Isle and about 2 miles further is the Ness a Promontory well known to Sea-men Maldon Maldon a Town of great antiquity and repute in the time of the Romans as Cambden noteth and was the Seat of Cunobelin King of the Trinobantes It is well seated on an Arm of the Sea about 6 or 7 miles from the Main before which lie small Isles called Northey and Osey the Town is large having one Street about a mile in length is well inhabited enjoyeth a good trade occasioned by reason of the commodiousness of its Haven amongst its Immunities electeth Parliament men is governed by 2 Bailiffs 6 Aldermen 18 Brethren a Recorder High-Steward c. and hath a very considerable Market on Saturdays for Flesh Fish Fowl and other Provisions Walden Walden or Saffron-Walden seated on an Ascent amongst pleasant Fields of Saffron a large fair well inhabited and frequented Town Corporate enjoying several Immunities is governed by a Treasurer 2 Chamberlains and the Commonalty and hath a very considerable Market on Saturdays for Corn and all forts of Provisions Near unto this Town is that stately House Audley-end Audley-end built by the Right Honourable Tho. Howard Earl of Suffolk then Lord High Treasurer of England which said House now belongeth to his Majesty Chelmesford Chelmesford seated in the Road and between two Rivers over which are Bridges for conveniency of passage It is a fair large and well frequented Town where the Assizes are usually kept and hath a very great Market for Corn Provisions c. on Fridays Raleigh Raleigh a place of great antiquity though not of largeness and its Market which is on Saturdays is but small Not far from this Town are the Isles of Wallop and Fowlness that is the Promontory of Fowls which hath a Church in it Also Canvey Isle of a rich Soil and feedeth good store of Sheep Brentwood Brentwood seated on a Hill and on the high Road a place of good Antiquity is well inhabited and its Market on Thursdays is well served with Provisions Rumford Rumford a large thoroughfare well frequented and inhabited Town seated in the Liberty of Haverill which enjoyeth large Immunities being an ancient retiring place of the Kings This Town of Rumford is of note for its great Market on Tuesdays for living Cattle but for Corn and Provisions which it is plentifully served with it hath a Market on Wednesdays Waltham Waltham or Waltham-Abby seated on the River Leg where it formeth several Eights or small Isles and in a large Forest so called well stored with Deer and other Game It is a Town of some note and hath a Market on Tuesdays Gloucestershire described GLOVCESTERSHIRE a County of a healthful Air and fertil Soil both for Corn and Pasturage yielding plenty of Corn and feeding abundance of Cattle and great flocks of Sheep especially about Coteswold whose Wool is much esteemed for its fineness The part lying Eastwards called Coteswold riseth up with Hills and is for grazing the middle part which is watered with the Severne lieth low and maketh a most fertil Plain and the Western part beyond the Severne is overspread with Wood and called Dean Forest which affordeth excellent Timber Trees for the building of Ships and great store of Coal and Iron-Mines where there are divers Furnaces and Forges for working the same This Forest is of a large extent being about 20 miles in length and 10 in breadth within which tract of ground are numbred 3 Hundreds 23 Parish Churches 1 Castle 1 Abby 3 Market Towns and 1 Major Town and the Common thereof besides the Purlieus and Abby-woods is said to contain 32000 Acres of Ground The chief Commodities that this County produceth are Corn Wool Cloth Iron Steel Wool and Timber also Fruits here had in such great plenty that the Highways and Lanes are beset with Apple Pear and Plumb-trees which grow naturally without ingrafting It is well watered with Rivers amongst which are the Isis Strowd Churne Avon Wye and Severne which for broadness of Channel swiftness of Stream and plenty of Salmon and other excellent Fish comes little short of any River in England The ancient Inhabitants were the Dobuni and in the time of the Saxons it became part of the Kingdom of the Mercians This County is divided into 30 Hundreds in which are numbred 280 Parish Churches and is traded unto by 25 Market-Towns Bristol Bristol seated between the Avon and the Froom which after a small course fall into the Severne the Avon dividing it into two parts as the Thames doth London and Southwark and are so joyned by a fair Stone-bridge on which are also stately Houses The greatest part of this City is in this County and the least in Somersetshire but it will owe subjection to neither being an entire County incorporate of it self enjoying large Immunities sendeth Burgesses to Parliament is governed by its peculiar Magistrates as a Major Court of Aldermen 2 Sheriffs and other sub-Officers and is dignified with the See of a Bishop and the title of an Earldom now invested in the person of the Right Honourable George Digby Earl of Bristol c. It is a City of a sweet and delightful scituation and of far more beauty than antiquity being adorned with many fair and well built Edifices and its Streets so neatly ordered by reason of the Avon that runneth through it together with the common Sinks and Sewers under ground that no filth is to be seen to annoy its Inhabitants It is a City of a large extent numbring 18 Parish Churches besides its Cathedral a fair structure It is begirt with a Wall and further defended with Fortifications its Port is good and commodious for Ships of a considerable burthen which doth occasion it to be a place of a very considerable Trade and to be well inhabited and frequented by Merchants and Tradesmen insomuch that next after London it may justly claim priority of all others in England and for the accommodation of its Inhabitants besides its Shambles its Markets on Wednesdays and Saturdays are plentifully served with all sorts of Provisions It is of note for its Bristol-Stones taken out of St. Vincents-Rock near adjoyning Gloucester Gloucester a City of good antiquity and pleasantly seated on an easie Ascent and on the banks of the Severne over which it hath a fair Stone-bridge 'T is a City not
very large yet hath it for Divine worship 12 Parish Churches besides its Abby or Cathedral dedicated to St. Peter a fair and beautiful building consisting of a continued Window-work and hath large Cloysters and an excellent Whispering-place It is also beautified with a handsom Colledge and many neat Buildings being a place well inhabited and frequented enjoying a good Trade and its Markets on Wednesdays and Saturdays are well furnished with all Provisions and very great for Corn and Cattle This City is the See of a Bishop to which belongs a Dean and 6 Prebends 't is a County within it self enjoyeth large Immunities sendeth Burgesses to Parliament and is governed by a Major 2 Sheriffs 12 Aldermen a Recorder with other sub-Officers Circester Circester seated on the Churn over which it hath a Bridge and in the Woulds very commodious for Mills 'T was a City once large and of great account in the time of the Romans at present it is a good Borough Town enjoying large Priviledges and sendeth Burgesses to Parliament and hath weekly two considerable Markets on Mondays chiefly for Corn and on Fridays for Wool Yarn and Provisions Tewksbury commodiously seated on and between 3 Rivers Tewksbury the Severne Avon and Swilyat over which are as many Bridges a fair large well inhabited and frequented Borough and Town Corporate electing Parliament men of good account for making of Woollen-cloth and for the best Mustard in England and hath a very good Market on Saturdays for Corn Cattle and Provisions Stroud seated on a River so called over which it hath a Bridge Stroud and on the banks of the said River are placed abundance of Fulling-Mills It is a well built Town which is of chief note for making and dying of Cloths and especially for good Scarlets and hath a good Market on Fridays for Provisions and Yarn Tedbury an indifferent good Town beautified with a fair Market-house Tedbury and its Market on Wednesdays for Corn Cattle Cheese Mault Tarn Wool Provisions and other Country Commodities is esteemed one of the best in these parts Barkley a place of good antiquity honoured with a Barony Barkley and gives title to the Right Honourable Lord Berkley c. It is seated on a branch of the Severne and hath an indifferent Market on Tuesdays Dursley seated on or near a branch of the Severne a good Town Dursley much inhabited by Clothiers and hath a small Market on Thursdays Chipping-Sodbury seated in a bottom of the Downs and in the Road Chipping-Sodbury an indifferent good Borough Town which hath a very great Market for Cheese on Thursdays and is also well served with Corn and Provisions Hantshire described HANTSHIRE of a fertil Soil for Corn hath rich Pastures which feed store of Cattle is well clothed with Wood affordeth plenty of Iron which is here wrought from the Mines also excellent Hony and of their Wool they make abundance of Cloths and Kersies It s Southern parts are washed with the Sea and by reason of its of its several good Ports and Havens it is well resorted and traded unto affording most Transmarine Commodities The ancient Inhabitants known to the Romans were the Segoutians in the North part and the Belgae and the Regni in the South In this County is New-Forest about 30 miles in compass and a place which affordeth great variety of Game within this tract of ground was formerly 36 Parish Churches which with the Houses thereto belonging were pulled down by command of William the Conquerour that it might be a place for wild Beasts to harbour in It is severed into 40 Hundreds wherein are seated 253 Parish Churches and is traded unto by 18 Market Towns besides those in the Isle of Wight being part of this County which I shall anon treat of Winchester Winchester a City of great antiquity and famous in the time of the Romans Saxons and Normans it being the Sepulchre of divers of their Kings and Queens and was of note in the time of the Romans for making the rich Embroideries for their Emperours It is a place pleasantly seated in a Valley betwixt Hills and on the banks of a delightful River which after about 10 miles course falleth into an Arm of the Sea on which Southampton is seated It is a fair City of about a mile and a half in circuit within its Walls which gives entrance unto its Suburbs by 4 Gates for Divine worship it hath five Parish Churches besides its Cathedral dedicated to the Holy Trinity a large and beautiful structure It is garnished with good Buildings amongst which are the Bishops Palate the Prebends houses and the Town-Hall where the Assizes and Sessions for the County are kept It is a place well inhabited and frequented and its Markets which are on Wednesdays and Saturdays are well provided with all sorts of Provisions especially that on Saturdays It enjoyeth several Immunities and sendeth Burgesses to Parliament Without the City in the Suburbs is a fair Colledge bearing the name of the City having a Warden Masters and an Vsher and is undowed with a liberal Mantenance Near unto this City pleasantly seated on a fair River is St. Crosses Hospital for the relief of 12 Poor men called Brothers having a Master Steward and sub-Officers and according to the Institution of the House Bread and Drink is given to all Travellers that will require the same Southampton Southampton commodiously seated on an Arm of the Sea capable to receive Ships of a considerable burthen to its Keys which are fair and very convenient for the lading and unlading of Goods by reason of which it is a place well inhabited by Merchants and Shopkeepers who drive a good Trade It is a large Town numbring 5 Parish Churches besides its Hospital called Gods-house It is garnished with well built Houses and is fenced about with a double Ditch and Walls which gives entrance by 7 Gates It is a Town and County of it self governed by a Major Bailiffs and Burgesses enjoyeth large Immunities sendeth Burgesses to Parliament is dignified with the title of an Earldom and its Markets on Tuesdays and Thursdays are not very great except for Provisions Portsmouth Portsmouth at present one of the best Garrisons and Sea-port Towns in England by reason of its commodious scituation which makes it to be exceedingly resorted unto by Shipping and is one of the usual stations for the Navy Royal where his Majesty hath his Store-houses and Docks for the building and equipping his Ships which adds no small benefit to the Town which is large well built very populous enjoyeth a good Trade is well provided with all necessaries and its Markets on Thursdays and Saturdays are very considerable for Provisions This Town is seated in the Isle of Porsey so made by the Sea and its two Arms which are joyned by a River It is a Town Corporate sendeth Burgesses to Parliament and being a place of such concernment is exceedingly fortified
Lea hath a Market on Tuesdays which is well provided with Commodities a place well known to many for its great Bed Stratford Stratford or Bishops-Stratford seated on the side of a Hill a very large fair and well inhabited and frequented Market Town full of Inns for the giving entertainment to Strangers and its Market on Thursdays is very well resorted unto and provided with Provisions and most Country Commodities Here are the ruins of a Castle raised on an artificial Mount within which is a deep and dark Dungeon called the Convicts Prison by which it may be supposed that some great Priviledges did belong unto it Baldock Baldock a considerable large Town seated between the Hills in a Chalky Soil fit for Corn of chief note for its many Maulsters yet its Market on Thursdays is but small Royston a famous Market Town Royston which is kept on Wednesdays for Corn and Mault here made being seated in a fat Soil and between Hills in a bottom The Town is large well inhabited and full of Inns part being in this County and part in Cambridgeshire Herefordshire described HEREFORDSHIRE a County every where exceeding fertil having great plenty of Grains and rich Pastures which feed store of Cattle especially Sheep whose Wool is much esteemed for its finess and for Wheat Wool and Water it yieldeth to no County in England It is well clothed with Wood and watered with Rivers the chief amongst which are the Wye Munow Wades Doive Lugg Froom c. All Fruits here grow in great plenty and of their Apples they make such abundance of Sider that besides what they use themselves it being their general drink of late years it is become a considerable Commodity especially that which is called Red-streak It s ancient Inhabitants were the Silures a stout and warlike People who sorely perplexed the Romans for 9 years space through the valour and noble exploits of their Commander Charactacus and became afterwards part of the Kingdom of the Mercians It is divided into 11 Hundreds in which are numbred 176 Parish Churches and hath Traffick with 8 Market Towns Hereford Hereford a City of great antiquity and raised out of the ancient Arconium now called Kenchester about 3 miles distant a place of good account in the time of the Romans and so continued until it was shaken to pieces by a violent Earthquake It is no less pleasantly than commodiously seated amongst delightful Meadows and rich Corn-fields and almost encompassed with Rivers to wit the Wye and two others over which are two Bridges It is of a large place beautified with good Buildings both publick and private amongst which are the Bishops Palace the Colledge the Cathedral the Prebends houses and Hospital and numbreth 6 Parish Churches two of which in the late Troubles were demolished besides its Cathedral to which belongeth a Bishop Dean Chancellor 6 Canons 27 Prebends with a Chanter Treasurer 12 Vicars Choral besides Deacons Queristers and other Attendants This City enjoyeth large Immunities sendeth Burgesses to Parliament is governed by a Major 6 Aldermen a Common Council Recorder and other sub-Officers and is very well served with Commodities having weekly 3 Markets on Wednesdays Fridays and Saturdays which are of considerable account that on Fridays for Cattle Sheep and Hogs and the other for Grain and all sorts of Provisions besides Gloves here made and sold in great quantities Near to this City is Gilden Vale so called from the fertility of the Soil and pleasant scituation Ross Ross seated in a fertil Soil on the banks of the Wye a fair Borough Town which hath a very great Market on Thursdays for Corn Cattle and Provisions being much resorted unto by the Inhabitants of Gloucestershire and Monmouthshire Lidbury Lidbury near adjoyning to Malvern Hills a fine well built Town seated in a rich clayey-Clayey-ground much inhabited by Clothiers who drive a good Trade and its Market on Tuesdays is well served with Corn Cattle and Provisions Lemster a large ancient and pleasant Town Lemster seated in a rich Soil and on the Lugg which runneth through it over which are several Bridges It is governed by a Bayliff a Recorder Justices of the Peace and 24 of the Chamber or Common Council it sendeth Burgesses to Parliament and hath a very good Market on Fridays for Corn Cattle Sheep Provisions Hops and Wool for which this Town is of note it being called Lemster-Ore Kyneton also seated on the Arrow a pretty large and well built Town Kyneton whose Inhabitants drive a good Trade for narrow Cloths It s Market on Wednesdays for Corn Cattle Provisions and several Country Commodities is esteemed the best in the County County of Huntington described HVNTINGTONSHIRE a County for the generality of a fertil Soil both for Corn and Tillage garnished with delightful Hills and towards the East where it joyneth on the Fens it hath rich Pasturage which feed store of Cattle It is well watered with Rivers the chief amongst which is the Ouse which divideth it self into several streams It is severed into 4 Hundreds in which are seated 79 Parish Churches and is traded unto by 5 Market Towns Huntington Huntington pleasantly seated on a rising Ascent and on the North-banks of the Owse over which it hath a fair Stone-bridge which leadeth to Godmanchester on the other side of the Owse a very large County and ancient Borough Town seated in a rich Soil and well inhabited by Yeomen and Farmers It is a Town of great antiquity was once very populous numbring no less than 15 Parish Churches which are now reduced to 4 and enjoyed great Immunities and had a Mint for Coynage At present it is dignified with the title of an Earldom sendeth Burgesses to Parliament is governed by a Major 12 Aldermen of which the Major is one and Burgesses is well inhabited and frequented and the rather as being a thorough-fate Town from London Cambridge and other Southern parts of England into the North and into Scotland and also for being the place where the Assizes are kept for the County and its Market on Saturdays is very well served with Provisions St. Ives St. Ives so called from one Ivo a Persian Bishop who 't is said about the year 600 travelled through England preaching the Gospel and here ended his days and his Body was from hence removed to Ramsey Abbey a fair large and ancient Town seated on the Owse over which it hath a very good Stone-bridge hath a Market on Mondays which is well served with Provisions and is of chief note for living Cattel St. Neots so called from Neotus St. Neots a Monk of Glastenbury a large and well built Town beautified with a neat Church is commodiously seated on the Owse over which it hath a fair Stone-bridge which leadeth to Bedfordshire It s Market is on Thursdays which is well served with Provisions and through the commodiousness of the Owse the Neighbouring Towns are
Parish Churches and is traded unto by 12 Market Towns Leicester delightfully seated in a healthful Air rich Soil Leicester and on the Banks of the Stour over which it hath two Bridges It is a place of more antiquity than beauty being said to be built by King Leir and called Caer-Lerion wherein Authors say he placed a High-Priest to serve in the Temple of Janus which he caused to be built and wherein he was buried This Town was also had in great request in the time of the Romans also Ethelred King of the Mercians erected here an Episcopal See which he soon translated elsewhere to its great impoverishment but the noble Lady Edelfled not only repaired it but also encompassed it with a strong Wall and much added to its Riches so that it soon became a place of a great Trade which glory and riches it lost by the Spoils it sustained by Rob. Bossu the Crouch-back Earl of this Shire As to its present state it is a Borough and Town Corporate governed by a Major Aldermen and sub-Officers is dignified with the title of an Earldom is well inhabited hath indifferent good Buildings sendeth two Representatives to Parliament containeth 3 Parish Churches and its Market on Saturdays is well served with Corn Provisions and Country commodities From this Town Crouch-back Richard set forth with great strength and pomp to Redmore near Bosworth where on the 22 of August 1485 in a bloody Battle there fought for the deciding the differences betwixt the Houses of York and Lancaster he was slain yielding both himself and the victory to Henry of Richmond who was proclaimed King in the field and the next day the body of the said Richard was disgracefully brought back torn and naked and as meanly buried in the Gray-Friars of Leicester in a Stone-chest which now is made use of in an Inn for a Drinking-trough for Horses Loughborough Loughborough delightfully seated on the banks of the Sour over which it hath a Bridge amongst fertil Meadows and near Charwood Forrest It is a handsom Town beautified with fair Buildings and a large Church and hath a very considerable Market for Corn Cattle Sheep and Provisions on Thursdays Melton-Mowbray Melton-Mowbray well seated in a fertil Soil and on the banks of the Eye which almost encircleth it over which are two fair Stone-bridges It is an indifferent large and well built Town and hath a very considerable Market on Tuesdays for Corn Cattle Hogs Sheep Provisions c. Lutterworth Lutterworth seated on the Swift and in a good Soil an indifferent Country Town beautified with a large and fair Church which hath a lofty spired Steeple and its Market on Thursdays is well served with Corn and Country commodities Near this Town is a Spring so cold that in a short time it turns Straws and small Sticks into Stone LINCOLNSHIRE County of Lincoln described a County of a large extent and doth divide its form bounds and division into Hundreds The Soil is of a different temperature the Western and Northern parts being very pleasant and grateful to the Husbandman both for Corn and rich Pastures which feed great store of Cattle and the Eastern and Southern parts are fenny barren and unfit for Corn but in recompence hath great plenty of Fish and Fowl The Air upon the South and East parts is thick and foggy occasioned through the Fenny grounds but the other parts good and healthful It is well watered with Rivers as the Humber Trent Idell Dane Wash Witham Welland c. which lose themselves in the Sea The chief Commodities that this County produceth are Corn Cattle Fish Fowl Flax Wool Alablaster c. This County is severed into 3 principal Divisions or Parts viz Lindsey Holland and Kesteven which are divided into 30 Hundreds in which are numbred 631 Parish Churches and is traded unto by 31 Market Towns Lincoln Lincoln a City of great antiquity and hath been far more magnificent and spacious than now it is whose ruinous places doth witness the same being said to have had 50 Churches which now are reduced to 15 besides its Cathedral or Minster said to be one of the finest loftiest and stateliest structures in England This City in the time of the Britains was of great strength and fame containing 1070 Mansions and 900 Burgesses with 12 Lage-men having Sac and Soc and in the time of the Normans it was esteemed one of the best peopled Cities in the Isle and enjoyed a great Trade both by Sea and Land insomuch that King Edward the Third ordained here his Staple for the Mart of Wools Leather and Lead But it s pristine glory has been much eclipsed by the several shocks of ill Fortune it hath met with nevertheless it is a place well inhabited and frequented enjoyeth a good Trade and its Markets on Fridays is well served with Provisions and its Shops furnished with Commodities It is pleasantly seated on the side of a Hill and on the River Witham which divideth it self into several streams and waters in the lower part of the City over which are divers Bridges for the accommodation of the Inhabitants in their passage to and sro It is dignified with an Episcopai See where the Bishop hath his Palace and whose Diocess is the greatest of any in England numbring within its Jurisdiction 1255 Parishes of which 577 are Impropriations The civil Government of this City is committed to the care of a Major 2 Sheriffs 12 Aldermen who are clothed in Scarlet besides a Recorder Town Clerk 4 Chamberlains a Sword-bearer 4 Serjeants at Mace c. It enjoyeth ample Immunities sendeth two Representatives to Parliament and is a County within it self whose Liberties extends about 20 miles in compass and is called the County and City of Lincoln The Isle of Axholme made so by the Rivers Trent Dun Idel Isle of Axholms and others It is a large tract of ground in which are seated several Towns the flat and lower part of the Isle towards the Rivers is Moorish and yieldeth a sweet Shrub called by the Inhabitants Gall. In this part have been great and tall Fir-trees digged up And the middle part which is a rising ground is fertil and produceth great store of Flax. Barton seated on the Humber Barton where there is a considerable Ferry into Yorkshire which doth much advantage the Town which is large and stragling yet hath but an indifferent Market on Saturdays Grimsby Magna seated near the Humber or rather the Sea Grimsby Magna and in a flat and Marshy rich ground This Town was formerly very large having two Parish Churches enjoyed a good Trade but its Harbour which was then commodious being choaked up hath much eclipsed its trade and grandure having now but one Church which for largeness giveth place to few Cathedrals Here was formerly a Castle an Abby a Nunnery 2 Priories and 2 Chantries which time hath reduced to ruins and in their places are erected Houses It
is a Town Corporate enjoyeth several Immunities hath the benefit of a Port Town and keepeth Courts for trial of Causes and Felons sendeth Burgesses to Parliament is governed by a Major 12 Aldermen a Recorder 2 Justices of the Peace 2 Town Clerks 2 Chamberlains and other sub-Officers and hath a good Market for Provisions on Wednesdays Thong-Caster or Caster a well compacted Town Thong-Caster which hath a very considerable Market on Saturdays chiefly for Swine Sheep and Cattle This Town is of note for its ancient Castle so called said to be built by Hengist the Saxon who had a grant from Vortiger for so much ground as an Ox-hide would compass which he cut into small Thongs so that it encompassed a tract of ground on which he built the Castle and there seated and defended himself Lowth a large well built and inhabited Town Corporate Lowth governed by a Warden and 7 Assistants and hath weekly two Markets on Saturdays and and Wednesdays which is the chief and is very considerable for Cattle Horses Swine Corn and all sorts of Provisions Stamford Stamford seated on the Weland which being now made navigable is no small advantage to the Town and Country adjacent its Inhabitants driving a considerable Trade especially for Mault and Free-stone It is a Town of good antiquity from whence the Roman High-street leaded to the North and in the Reign of King Edward the Third here was a Colledge for the Professors of the Arts and Sciences who thence removed to Brazen-Nose Colledge in Oxford It is a large well inhabited and frequented Town containing several Streets hath 6 Parish Churches is beautified with fair Buildings is begirt with a Wall and hath weekly 2 Markets on Mondays which is but small and on Fridays which is well furnished with Corn Cattle and all sorts of Provision in great plenty Grantham Grantham seated on the Witham a Borough Town of good account and well inhabited is governed by an Alderman and 12 Justices of the Peace and hath the election of Parliament men The Town is beautified with a fair Church which hath an exceeding lofty Spire-Steeple and its Market on Saturdays is very considerable and well served with Corn Mault Sheep and all sorts of Provisions Boston Boston a fair large Borough and Town-Corporate of good antiquity enjoyeth several Immunities electeth Parliament men and is governed by a Major 12 Aldermen Burgesses a Recorder c. It is commodiously seated on both sides the Witham over which it hath a fair Woodden-bridge and being near its influx into the Sea is a place of considerable account is well frequented and inhabited enjoyeth a good Trade and its Markets on Wednesdays and Saturdays are very great especially for Provisions both Flesh Fish and Fowl Its Market-place is fair and spacious as also its Church whose Lanthorn or Tower serves as a Landmark to Sailers Kirton Kirton seated on a sandy-Sandy-ground and so called from its Church a fair structure built of Free-stone Cathedral-wise in form of a Cross with a broad Steeple in the middle This whole Township is very large being divided into 4 Hamlets or Vintins viz. Kirton-Willington Kirton-Meers Kirton-Skeldike and Kirton-Holme and had formerly a Market which is now disused Crowland Crowland or Croyland a Town of good account amongst the Fenny-people but much greater in times past for its famous Abby founded by Aethelbald King of the Mercians in Anno 716. It is seated very low and dirty and so shut up that there is no access to it but by the North and East-sides and that by narrow Cawswaies not admitting of Carts insomuch that the Inhabitants have a Proverb That all the Carts that come to Crowland are shod with Silver And the scituation is much like to Venice in Italy the Streets being severed from each other by Dikes or Water-courses on the banks of which are set Willow-trees The chief Riches here gained is by Fish and Fowl which are taken in great plenty and here is a small Market Spalding Spalding a pretty fair Town seated very waterish and by a navigable River which doth occasion it to have a very good Trade having several Vessels and Barges belonging to them and here is every Tuesday a very good Market for Corn Cattle and Provision Dunington Dunington seated in a flat like Spalding an indifferent Town but hath a very considerable Market on Saturdays for Provisions and Hemp in great abundance MIDDLESEX County of Middlesex described a County of a small extent but every where garnished with Towns and fair buildings which are the habitations of the Nobility Gentry and Citizens of London It is blest with a sweet and wholsom Air and for fertility of Soil both for Tillage and Pasturage may compare with any shire in England especially for its bigness It is severed into 6 Hundreds in which are seated 73 Parish Churches besides those of London and its several Chapels of Ease and is traded unto by 4 Market Towns besides the Markets in London As to the description of the Towns in this County I shall treat of those of most note and conclude with London the Metropolis of the whole Kingdom and first with Vxbridge Vxbridge uxbridge seated on the high Road from London to Oxford a large well inhabited and frequented Town well accommodated with Inns is governed by two Bailiffs 2 Constables and 4 Headboroughs and hath a Market on Thursdays which is well served with Corn and Provisions Hampton Hampton seated on the banks of the Thames of chief note for its Palace of the King called Hampton-Court delightfully seated by two Parks first built by Cardinal Woolsey and afterwards much enlarged by King Henry the Eighth containing now within it several large Inner-Courts which are inclosed with fair Buildings in one of which is a stately Fountain Istleworth Istleworth or Thistleworth a fair large and pleasant Town seated on the banks of the Thames well inhabited by Gentry and the Citizens of London as are Twittenham Teddington Chiswick Hamersmith Fulham and Chelsey Towns all seated on the banks of the Thames Nigh unto Thistleworth is Sion-house a large Structure Sion-House now belonging to the Countess of Northumberland but in times past was a Monastery erected by King Henry the Fifth to the honour of our Saviour the Virgin Mary and Bridget of Sion for Religious Virgins where he appointed so many Nuns Priests and Lay-Brethren as in number did equal our Saviour his Apostles and Disciples and on the other side of the Thames opposite unto it he erected another for Carthusian Monks named Jesus of Bethlehem Brentford Brentford containing the Old and the New both seated on the Western Road which doth occasion it to be so well accommodated with Inns. In New Brentford is kept the Market which every Tuesday is very well served with Corn and Provisions which are much bought up by the Londoners Kensington Kensington a thorough-fare Town well
and frequented Town enjoying large Immunities and sendeth a Burgess to Parliament It is governed by a Major 2 Bailiffs 15 Common Councellors a Town Clerk and other sub-Officers and hath a considerable Market for Corn and Provisions on Saturdays Chepstow Chepstow seated on the side of a Hill which is washed with the Wye near its fall into the Severn a Town formerly very famous and of great resort being said to be raised out of the ruins of Venta Silurum the chief City of the Silures It is a large well built inhabited and frequented Town and hath a Market on Saturdays which is very good for Corn and Provisions and very considerable for Swine Carlion or Caerleon an ancient and flourishing City of the Romans Carlion which is evidenced by the ruins of its stately Buildings as Palaces Temples and Theaters enclosed within fair Walls the Water-pipes Vaults Hot-houses and Roman Coins oft digged up And here the Noble Arthur kept his Court and here was a famous Colledge for 200 Students in Astronomy and other the liberal Arts and Sciences This Town which is indifferent large is commodiously seated on the banks of the Vske over which it hath a large wooden Bridge yet its Houses for the generality are built of Stone and its Market which is but indifferent is on Thursdays Vske seated on a River so called a large Town uske beautified with well built Stone-houses and hath a very good Market on Mondays and Fridays Abergavenny seated at the meeting of the Vske and the Keveny Abergavenny once a place of great strength It is a large Town hath well-built Houses enjoyeth a good Trade for Flanels and Straw-Hats here made in great plenty and its Market which is on Tuesdays is very considerable for Cattle Provisions c. County of Norfolk The County of NORFOLK is of a different Soil but may be comprised under two heads to wit Champain and Wood-land yet notwithstanding about the Towns it is of a Claiey Chalkey and fat Earth and not without Wood. That which is comprised under the head of Champain is along the Sea-Coasts and from Thetford to Burnham and so Westwards and affords great plenty of Corn and on the Heaths great flocks of Sheep are fed The Wood-land part is chiefly for grasing yet not without Corn ground The ancient Inhabitants known to the Romans were the Iceni and afterwards became part of the Kingdom of the Angles The Commodities that this Country plentifully affordeth are Worsteds Stockings Norwich Stuffs and Herrings The chief Rivers that water this County are the Owse Waveny Yare and the Thryne It is generally well inhabited with Gentry is very populous and full of Towns and Villages numbring 660 Parish Churches which are the most of any County in England and is traded unto by 27 Market Towns Norwich a City of great antiquity Norwich and formerly of as great splendor when the Seat of the East Angles since which it hath undergone several calamities by Fire Sword and Pestilence and notwithstanding all its shocks of Ill fortune it is at present a fair large and populous City and enjoyeth a great Trade especially for their Stockings Stuffs and Manufactures here made It is commodiously seated on the banks of the Yare which severeth it but is joyned together by several Briges and in a pleasant Valley It is about a mile and half in length and almost of the like breadth and is encompassed with a Wall except on the side seated on the River and hath 12 Gates for entrance and for Divine worship 32 Parish Churches bisides Chapels It s chief buildings are the Cathedral the Bishops Palace the Palace of the Duke of Norfolk the Market-house the Cross and the House of Correction made of Free-stone Here is an Hospital where 100 poor Men and Women are maintained This City may not improperly be called an Orchard in a City or a City in an Orchard by reason of the pleasant intermixture of the Houses with Trees It was first governed by 4 Bailiffs but in the Reign of Henry the Fourth it was incorporated into a Majoralty and made a County whose limits extend to Eaton-Bridge It enjoys several Immunities sends Burgesses to Parliament and is the See of a Bishop Its Markets on Wednesdays Fridays and Saturdays are very great and well stored with Corn living Cattle Leathen Yarn Worsteds and all sorts of Provisions Lynn Lynn or Lynn Regis seated almost at the influx of the Owse into the Washes a fair large and well-built Borough Town numbring 3 Parish Churches of good antiquity enjoying ample Immunities which were granted them for their good service against the outlawed Barons in the Isle of Ely It is governed by a Major 12 Aldermon hath a Recorder Sword-Bearer and other sub-Officers sendeth its Representatives to Parliament for its defence is encompassed about with a Wall and a deep Trench is well watered having 2 Rivulets which run through the Streets which are passed over by 15 Bridges It is well inhabited by Merchants and Tradesmen having a commodious Haven and its Markets on Tuesdays and Saturdays are well served with Commodities and Provisions Yarmouth Yarmouth seated on the Yare at its influx into the Sea It is a place of great strength as well by Nature as Art being esteemed the Key of this Goast The Town is large yet hath but one Church but that is so large that it serveth for two Ministers Its Buildings are good it is a place of a great resort is well inhabited and traded unto and the more as being the ready passage to Holland for the Packet-Boat and other Vessels About this Coast great abundance of Herrings are caught in September and as great quantities of Mackerels in the Summer season It is a Town Corporate having for its chief Magistrates 2 Bailiffs it enjoyeth several Immunities and sends Burgesses to Parliament It s Market is on Saturdays which is very great for Corn Fish and Provisions Windham Windham seated in a dirty bottom hath an indifferent good Market for Corn and Provisions on Fridays but chiefly for Stockings Wooden-Spoons Yapps and Spindles which are here made and sold by the Inhabitants in great abundance Swasham Swasham seated on a Hill a large and well built Town full of Inns end well inhabited by Shopkeepers who drive a good trade It s Market which is on Saturdays is very well served with Corn and Provisions being esteemed one of the best Market Towns in the County North Walsham North Walsham seated in a level not far from the Sea a fine Market Town which on Thursdays is well provided with Corn Flesh and other Commodities County of Northampton described NORTHAMPTON an Inland County of a fat and rich Soil both for Tillage and Pasturage every way recompencing the Husbandmans pains and industry both for its excellent Grain and for feeding and breeding of store of Sheep Horses and Cattle insomuch that here is observed to be less wast
ground than in any County in the Kingdom It is blest with a healthful Air it is very populous and full of Gentry insomuch that in many places 20 or 30 Sleeples present themselves to view at one time It is well watered with Rivers and fresh Streams as the Welland the Neâ— or Aufona the Owse Charwel c. This County is severed into 20 Hundreds in which are numbred 326 Parish Churches and is traded unto by 11 Market Towns Northampton Northampton delightfully seated on the banks of the Nyne which washeth its South and West parts over which it hath two Bridges It is a Town of good antiquity and once very large but this as all other places in the Kingdom selt the sore hand of the Dane with other Calamities and lately in was laid in its Ashes by a merciless Fire but is again almost rebuilt and will be of better lustre than before It s extent is large numbring 4 Parish Churches within its Walls which were of great strength before their demolishment On the Western side of the Town on an Eminency is mounted a large Castle but so ruinous that it seemeth ready to fall It is a Town Corporate sendeth Burgesses to Parliament is governed by a Major 2 Barliffs 12 Magistrates a Recorder Town Clerk with other sub-Officers It enjoyeth a very considerable Trade is very well inhabited being the place where the Assizes are kept and the general place for the Justices of the Pence to meet for the County and its Market which is on Saturdays is very great for Cattle Corn Provisions Leather Shoes and several Country Commodities Peterburgh seated on the River Aufona or Nen Peterburgh which is navigable for Barges over which it hath a Bridge which leadeth to Huntingtonshire and in a Marshy ground It is a City of great antiquity and was of good account in the time of the Saxons for it is said that Wolpher King of the Mercians for the expiating his crime in the cruel murthering his Sons Wolphald and Rufin for embracing the Christian Religion to which he was some years after converted himself in Anno 633. finished a most stately Monastery and dedicated it to St. Peter from which the City took its name being before called Madeshamstede It is at present a City of no great extent having but one Parish Church besides its Cathedral raised out of the Monastery a stately structure where lieth the Bodies of two unfortunate Queens Katherin of Spain and Mary of Scots This City enjoyeth several Immunities sends Burgesses to Parliament is honoured with the Title of an Earldom and the Seat of a Bishop as also of a Dean who keepeth his Court for the hearing of Causes Its Streets of late are indifferent well ordered its Houses well built and hath a spacious Market-place well resorted unto on Saturdays Not far from this City Westwards was seated the ancient City Durobrivae called by the English Saxons Normanchester Oundle pleasantly seated on the banks of the Nen Oundle over which it hath two good Bridges a well built uniform Town beautified with a fair Church and a Free School hath a very great Market for Cattle Corn Flesh and Fowl on Saturdays Higham-Ferrers scituated on an Ascept and on the banks of the Nen Higham Ferrers an ancient Borough and Town Corporate governed by a Major 7 Aldermen 13 Capital Burgesses a Steward c. is graced with a fair Colledge hath a Free School for the education of Youth and an Alms-house for the relief of poor People and hath a Market on Saturdays which is well resorted unto Wellingborow seated also on the Nen a large and well inhabited Town Wellingborow of some note for its Springs of Medicinal-water not far distant from the Town It is beautified with a fair Church and a Free School is a large and well inhabited Town and hath a Market on Wednesdays which is well served with Corn and Provisions Daventry seated on the side of Borow-hill a good Town Daventry govermed by a Bulliff Aldermen a Steward and 12 Freemen and hath a Market on Wednesdays which is well provided with Horses Cattle Sheep Corn and Provisions Not far from this Town is Wedom which was a Station of the Romans and where there was a Monastery founded by the holy Virgin St. Werberg Daughter of King Wolpher who had here his Royal Seat Brackley seated on a bank of the Owse Brackley and on the edge of the County towards Buckinghamshire an ancient and large Town Corporate containing two Parish Churches had formerly a Colledge now made use of for a Free School is governed by a Major and Aldermen sendeth Burgesses to Parliament and hath a small Market on Wednesdays which in former time was considerable being the staple Town in the County for Wool County of Northumberland NORTHVMBERLAND a County of a sharp and piercing Air and much troubled with pinching Frosts boisterous Winds and deep Snows which would be more troublesom to its Inhabitants were it not for the great abundance of Sea-Coal here had in great plenty It is a County for the most part of an ungrateful Soil being very rough hilly and very hard to be manured but the parts towards the Sea by the industry of the Husbandman in manuring it with the Sea-weed are indifferent fertil It is well watered with Rivers which with the Sea afford to the Inhabitants great plenty of Fish and Fowl In this County are numbred 46 Parish Churches many of which are very large having their Chapels of Ease and is severed into 6 Wards and for the accommodation of the Inhabitants is traded unto by 6 Market Towns The Inhabitants that possest this County before the Romans were the Ottadini and being brought to the Jurisdiction of the English Saxons by Osca Brother to Hengist and by his Son Jebusa had first official Governours under the fealty to the Kings of Kent After that when the Kingdom of the Berenicii was erected that which reached from the Scotish Frith to the Tees being the best part was subject to the Kings of Northumberland who having finished their period that which lay beyond the Tweed passed for Scotland then was it yielded up to Egbert King of the West Saxons who laid it to his own Territory and soon after the expulsion of the Danes it was governed by Earls This County sheweth abundance of Antiquities not only along the Picts Wall which runneth by its Southern part but elsewhere amongst which these following are worthy of note Readsquire a steep Mountain was oft-times the place of Conference for the East Marshes The Hermitage not far from Wakeworth by the Water a Chapel cut out of a Rock without Beams Rafters or any piece of Timber and the Altar was also hewed out of the same Rock and this was the place of devotion for a Hermit who lived in a Cell within the Rock Risingham seated on the River Rhead a place of great Antiquity which 't is said God-Magon for
and its Markets on Wednesdays and Saturdays are very great and well provided with Corn Flesh Fish and Fowl It was formerly a Major Town but at present a Bailiwick Bridgwater seated on a navigable River Bridgwater over which it hath a fine Stone-bridge It is a large well frequented and inhabited Borough Town hath the election of Parliament men is governed by a Major and other sub-Officers was formerly a place of good account having a Castle and an Abby It s Market is on Thursdays which is well served with Corn and Provisions and in the Summer season with Cattle Mynehead seated on the Sea-shoar a Borough Town Mynehead electing Parliament men hath a very good harbour for Ships of a considerable burthen to ride in and is a place of some Trade especially into Ireland yet its Market is but small County of Stafford The County of STAFFORD seated much about the midst of England of a healthful Air and different Soil the Southern parts being generally barren as sandy gravelly or heathy except on the banks of the Rivers yet by the Husbandmans pains in manuring it it beareth good Corn and the Northern parts are hilly and full of grat Heaths and Moors and is made use of for seeding of Cattle And although an Inland County yet by reason of the many Rivers and Brooks it is plentifully furnished with excellent Fish To speak of the Country in general there are more Heaths Moors and wast Ground than in any County in England as to its bigness insomuch that you may go the whole length of the County and see little but Heaths and Moors but these are not without profit as breeding store of Sheep Conies and Deer as well as pleasure for the Gentleman both for the Hawk Gun and Hound and for Parks and Warrens few Counties doth exceed it The Commodities that this Shire affordeth to others are Cattle Sheep Horses Butter Cheese Wool Bacon Iron Iron-ware chiefly Nails Alablaster c. The number of Parishes are 130 and hath 18 Market Towns many of which are of considerable account Litchfield Litchfield a City and County of it self seated in a pleasant Champain Country divided from the Cathedral and Close but joyned together by two Bridges and Cawseys It is a City of great antiquity formerly called Licidfeld that is the Field of dead Bodies which name it had from the great number of Christians there slain in the Dioclesian Persecution and here Oswin King of the Northumbers having vanquished the Pagan Mercians erected a Church and made it the Episcopal See of Duina the Bishop which afterwards was made an Archiepiscopal Pale by Pope Hadrian in the Reign of King Offa which dignity expired with his life This City is well built is indifferent large containing 3 Parish Churches besides its Cathedral a beautiful and curious Structure adjoyning to which is the Bishops Palace and the Prebends-houses the Streets are payed and well ordered and is a place much frequented by Gentry It is governed by 2 Bailiffs a Sheriff which are elected out of 24 Burgesses a Recorder Town Clerk with sub-Officers and amongst its Immunities sends Burgesses to Parliament Its Markets are on Tuesdays and Fridays which are plentifully served with Corn and Provisions Stafford Stafford well seated on the River Sowe amongst rich Meadows a fair Town indifferent large containing 2 Parish Churches hath a Free School and a fine square Market-place in which the Shire-Hall is kept for the Assigâ—â— and Sessions of the County the Streets are paved and well ordered and its Houses well built it is governed by a Major and Burgesses hath a Recorder Town Clerk and 2 Serjeants at Mace The Town enjoys large Immunities sends Burgesses to Parliament is well inhabited and frequented and its Markets which is on Saturdays is well served with Corn Flesh and other Provisions New-Castle under Line New-Castle seated on a little Rivulet a large Town Corporate governed by a Major Bailiffs and Burgesses hath a Court of Record to hold plea in all Personal Actions under 40 l. and amongst its Immunities sends Burgesses to Parliament It hath a great Market on Mondays for Cattle some Horses and Sheep with plenty of Provisions and after Low-Monday a Market or rather a Fair every Fortnight for some time Vttoxater uttoxater pleasantly seated near the Banks of the Dove amongst excellent Pasturage The Town is not very well built but pretty large hath a well built Market-place and its Market which is on Wednesdays is said to be one of the greatest in these parts of England for Cattle Sheep Swine Butter Cheese Corn and all Provisions Tamworth Tamworth seated on the Banks of the Tame which divides the Town one part being in this County and the other in Warwickshire The Town at present is of good account though not of that splendor as in former times being incorporated governed by Bailiffs a high Steward under-Steward Recorder and other sub-Officers sends Burgesses to Parliament and hath a Market on Saturdays which is indifferent good for Corn and Provisions and in the Spring time for Cattle and Sheep Walsall Walsall seated on the top of a Hill a well-built Town Corporate governed by a Major and other sub-Officers hath a Court of Record enjoyeth a good Trade for divers Manufactures made of Iron as Nails Bridle-bits Stirrups Spurs and also Bellows here made in great plenty yet its Market which is on Tuesdays is not very great Wolverhampton pleasantly seated on a Hill Wolverhampton beautified with reasonable well built Houses and its Streets handsomly paved is much frequented by Gentry hath a neat Collegiate Church and its Market which is on Wednesdays is very considerable for Corn Cattle and Provisions being esteemed the second Market Town in the County County of Suffolk described SVFFOLK a County of a various Soil and consequently hath sundry growths and Manufactures the Eastern parts all along the Coasts and for 5 or 6 miles Inland are generally very bleak but healthy sandy full of small Hills and Springs and employed in Tillage for Rye Peas Brank Hemp and for Sheep-walks The more Inland part commonly called High-Suffolk or the Wood-lands is pretty level close and dirty and is made use of chiefly for Dayries driving a great trade for their Butter and Cheese and the parts about Bury are Champain and affordeth great store of grain of all sorts It is a County of a large extent is well stored with Parks watered with fresh Streams and blest with a most healthful and sweet Air which makes it to be so well inhabited by Gentry and is traded unto by 27 Market Towns and numbreth 575 Parish Churches Ipswich seated by the Banks of the Orwell Ipswich near the place where its fresh Water and salt meet which with the Tide gives it the conveniency of a Key 'T is a place of great antiquity and was once fenced about with a Wall or Rampier which was thrown down by the
hath a stately Market-house enjoyeth a good Trade chiefly for Mault and is the place where the Assizes and general Sessions for the County are kept It is governed by a Major 12 Brethren 24 Burgesses a Recorder with sub-Officers Amongst its Immunities electeth Parliament men and its Market which is on Saturdays is very great for Corn and Provisions Near unto this Town is Guy-Cliff most pleasantly seated amongst Groves and fresh Streams where Guy of Warwick is said to have built a Chapel and after he had left off his exploits here led an Hermetical life and was here interr'd Stratford Stratford seated on the Avon over which it hath a fair Stone-bridge sustained by 14 Arches It is a good large Town having for Divine worship two Churches is well inhabited enjoyeth a considerable Trade for Mault here made and hath a Market on Thursdays which is very well served with Corn and Provisions Bromicham Bromicham seated very dry on the side of a Hill it is a large and well built Town very populous much resorted unto and enjoyeth a very great trade for Iron and Steel Wares and Tools here made also for Saddles and Bridles which find good vent at London Ireland and other parts and its Market is on Thursdays which is very considerable for living Cattle Corn Mault and Provisions besides the Manufactures of the Town At Newenham-Regis is a Spring whose Water if drunk with Salt loosneth and if with Sugar bindeth the Body and is said to be very Sovereign against Vlcers Imposthumes and the Gout County of Westmoreland described The County of WESTMORELAND so called as lying amongst Moors and high Hills or Fells generally of a barren Soil and very Mountainous but not without many fruitful Valleys both for Tillage and Pasturage and is well watered with fresh Streams Here are several Meers and Lakes as Winder-Meer which is the greatest standing water in England Rydale-water Ester-water Gresmere-water Kent-Meer Vlles-water Brother-water Hawse-water and others This County is divided or severed into two Baronies viz. Kendale Barony which is divided into the Wards of Kendale and Lonsdale and the other Barony called the Barony of Westmoreland is divided into East-Ward and West-Ward and of these in order Kirby-Lonsdale Kirby-Lonsdale or the Church-Town in Lonsdale seated on the Lon over which it hath a large Stone-bridge and in a rich Vale. It is a large and well built Town beautified with a fair Church a well inhabited and frequented Town both to Church and Market esteemed the greatest in the County next to Kendale and its Market on Thursdays is well served with Provisions and traded unto for Cloth Kendale Kendale or Kirby-Kendale a very fair large well-built inhabited and frequented Borough and Market Town which for good Buildings largeness neatness and good Manufactures is the chief in the County It is a place of a considerable Trade the people much addicting themselves to Traffick not only in their old Manufacture of Cotton and course Woollen Cloth but of late in Druggets Serges Hats Worsted-Stockings c. to the much enriching the Town and adjacent parts It is most pleasantly seated in a Valley so called amongst Hills and on the River Can or Kent over which it hath two fair Stone-bridges besides one of Wood which leadeth to the Castle now ruinoâ—â— The Town is built in form of a Cross and is beautified with a fair and large Church sustained by five rows of Pillars with several Apartments near unto which is a Free-School well endowed and to this Church belongeth 12 Chapels of Ease As to the Government of this Town it is committed to the care of a Major 12 Aldermen 20 Common Council-men a Recorder Town Clerk and two Attorneys who attend their Sessions and Courts of Record Here are belonging to this Town 7 Companies viz. Mercers Shear-men Cordwainers Tanners Glovers Taylors and Pewterers each having their Hall or place of meeting and for the accommodation of its Inhabitants hath a very great Market for Corn living Cattle and Provisions on Saturdays Apleby Apleby of note for its scituation and antiquity being for the most part encircled with the River Eden but so slenderly peopled with idle Inhabitants and the Buildings so mean although of late much amended that were it not for the Assizes and Sessions here held it would be little better than a Village It is a very ancient Town Corporate governed by a Major and 12 Aldermen with sub-Officers enjoys large Immunities sends Burgesses to Parliament and is discharged from paying Toll in all places except London and York Here is an Hospital or Alms-house erected and liberally endowed by the Lady Clifford for the relief of 13 decaied Widows who are called the Mother and her 12 Sisters The Market is here kept on Saturdays which is well served with Corn and Provisions Kirby-Stevens Kirby-Stephens beautified with a fair Church seated near the Hills towards Yorkshire It is a good and well known Town which of late is much improved by the trade of making Stockings and hath a good Market on Fridays At Stainmore a great Hill is a Cross said to be erected upon a Peace concluded between William the Conquerour and Malcolme King of the Scots and that by the said Place each Kingdom should know their limits and on this Stone-Cross which is called Ree-Cross that is the Cross of Kings was engraven the Arms of the Kings on the South-side those of England Ree-Cross and on the North those of Scotland County of Wilts WILT-SHIRE an Inland County no less fertil than delightful It s Northern parts hath delectable Hills well clothed with Woods and watered with fresh Streams amongst which is the Isis which soon becometh the chief of the Kingdom It s Southern parts are more even and exceeding fertil in Corn and Grass feeding great flocks of Sheep and are also well watered with the Avon Willy and Alder and the midst of the County is plain and level bearing the name of Salisbury-Plain which is a large tract of ground which feedeth good flocks of Sheep In the midst of this County is a Dike called Wansdike which runneth many miles in length and is a place of some wonder being said to be made for the dividing the Kingdom of the Mercians from that of the West-Saxons this being the place where they fought for the enlargement of their Dominions And here it was that Ina the West-Saxon joyned Battle with Geolred the Mercian whence both of them quitted the Field with equal loss This County is divided into 29 Hundreds in which are seated 304 Parish Churches and hath for the accommodation of the Inhabitants 20 Market Towns Salisbury Salisbury a City of great antiquity being the Seat of the Romans It is commonly called New-Sarum as raised out of the Old which was seated on a great Eminence being designed for Strength and War yet honoured with an Episcopal See and a fair Cathedral This City of New Sarum is
for its Salt-Pits or Wiches having three Fountains that afford great plenty of Water for the making of Salt which is excellent white and good for which here is drove a good Trade Sturbridge Sturbridge seated on a Flat and on the Stower over which it hath a Bridge it is a good and well-built Town hath the accommodation of a good Free-School with a Library and its Market on Fridays is well furnished with Corn Provisions and Swine Kidderminster Kidderminster feated under a Hill and on the Severn where the Stower loseth it self dividing the Town in twain an ancient Bailiwick-Town beautified with a fair Church hath well-built Houses is well inhabited and much traded unto for its Stuffs called Kidderminster-Stuffs and its Market which is on Thursdays is considerable for Corn Gottle Provisions and several Country-commodities Bewdley Bewdley a Bailiwick-Town which sends Burgesses to Parliament pleasantly seated on the Severn and near the Forest of Wire which in former time was a place of great delight and much resorted unto It is a neat and well-built Town enjoyeth a good Trade for Mault Leather and Caps called Bewdley-Caps here made and hath a Market on Saturdays chiefly considerable for Barly YORK-SHIRE County of York describ'd the largest County in England being above 300 miles in compass and although thus spacious for the generality is indifferent fertil yielding good plenty of Cattle Corn Fowl and Fish for if one part is stony sandy and barren other parts make amends and although there are great store of Heaths and Moors which are barren ground yet are they profitable to the Inhabitants for the feeding of Cattle In this County the Romans had several Stations and here were abundance of Abbeys Monasteries and Religious Houses many of which were of great note eminency and wealth The chief Manufactures of this Shire are Stockings Alum Jett Lime Knives Pins c. but above all Cloth in great plenty It is fevered into three distinct parts and called the North-Riding the East-Riding and the West-Riding which said Ridings or Parts are subdivided into 26 Wapontacks or Hundreds viz. the North into Eleven the East into Six and the West into Nine and in all these Wapontacks are numbred 563 Parish Churches besides abundance of Chapels of Ease by reason of the largeness of the Parishes many of the Chapels being as large as Parishes in other parts of England The North-Riding of Yorkshire may not improperly be divided into Richmondshire Cleaveland a fertil part North-Allerton and Blackmore very Mountainous Craggy and Moorish The chief places in this Riding are York City of York which next to London claimeth the Priority of all others in the Kingdom a place of great antiquity and fame having its rise from the Romans who had it in such great esteem that Severus their Emperour had here his Palace and here ended his days and had those Funeral Rites solemnized on his Corps according to their custom And here Fl. Valerius Constantius surnamed Chlorus bid adue to the World and in his room his Son Constantine was here proclaimed Emperour Nor did this City thus flourish only in the time of the Romans but was of great repute in all succeeding Ages and hath in all the revolutions and changes under the Saxons Danes and Normans preserved its ancient lustre and is at present a fair large and beautiful City adorned with many splendid Buildings both publick and private is very populous much resorted unto and well inhabited by Gentry and wealthy Tradesmen and numbreth about 30 Parish Churches and Chapels besides its Cathedral or Minster a most stately Structure dedicated to St. Peter Amongst its publick Buildings of note these may be taken notice of The Bishops-Palace its Chapter-House a curious piece of Architecture the Princes-House called the Mannor and the Courts of Judicature held for the Neighbouring Marches according to that of Ludlow It is a City and County within it self enjoyeth large Immunities sendeth Burgesses to Parliament is governed by a Lord Major 12 Aldermen clad in Scarlet 2 Sheriffs 12 Common Council 8 Chamberlains a Recorder Town Clerk Sword-Bearer and Common Serjeant with other sub-Officers It is a place of great strength being well fortified and enclosed with a strong Wall on which are many Turrets or Watch-houses and hath for entrance 4 Gates and 5 Posterns It s scituation is no less pleasantly than commodiously seated on the Owse which severeth it in two parts but joyned together by a fair Stone-bridge and to conclude its Markets on Thursdays and Staturdays are very considerable and well served with Flesh Fish Fowl c. as are its Shambles on the Week-days with Provisions Malton or New-Malton seated on the Derwent Malton over which it hath a good Stone-bridge It is composed of two Towns the New and the Old Malton and both containing 3 Parish Churches it is a place well inhabited and accommodated with good Inns hath weekly two Markets on Tuesdays and Saturdays which is one of the best in the County for Horses living Cattle Provisions and most Country-commodities especially Vtensils for Husbandry and as a Borough Town which is but meanly built electeth Parliament men Pickering or the Honour of Pickering a pretty good Town Pickering belonging to the Dutchy of Lancaster hath a famous Old Castle now ruinous in which they keep their Courts for the hearing of Causes under 40 s. in the said Honour which includeth several Villages which as it were encompass it so that the adjacent Country is called Pickering-Lith the Forest of Pickering and the Liberty of Pickering It s Market which is on Mondays is well served with Corn and Provisions Scarborough a place of great strength as well by Nature as Art Scarborough being seated on a steep Rock with such craggy Cliffs that it is almost inaccessible and beareth so into the Sea that it is washed on all parts except on the West where it yieldeth access by a strait passage Cliff or Gullet where it hath a strong Wall On the top of this Rock is a very fair green and large Plain containing about 60 Acres of ground and hath a little Well of Fresh-water springing out of the Rock and for its further defence hath a strong Castle now made use of by his Majesty for a Garrison This Town is not very large but well built and inhabited enjoyeth a good Trade having a commodious Key with several Vessels belonging to it which are employed by them and during the Herring-season for the Fishing Trade they being plentifully taken on this Coast This place is of note for its famous Spaw much resorted unto as well by Foreigners as the English It is a Town Corporate electing Parliament men is governed by two Bailiffs and a Common Council and hath two Markets weekly on Thursdays which is of good account and on Saturdays which is but small Not far from this Town is Robinhoods-Bay so called from Robinhood that noted Robber in the Reign of
England is divided into four Circuits for the Administration of Justice and then the first shall contain the Counties of Denbigh Flint and Montgomery the second those of Brecknock Glamorgan and Radnor the third those of Cardigan Carmarden and Pembroke and the fourth those of Anglesey Caernarvon and Merioneth But to proceed to the description of these Counties and first of North-Wales NORTH-WALES Isle of Anglesey THe Island of ANGLESEY is severed from Caernarvon-shire by a narrow Streight of the River Menai and on all other parts it is washed with the Irish Seas It was the ancient Seat of the Druids and brought with no small difficulty under the Roman Scepter by Julius Agricola It is so fertil and abounding in all things as Corn Cattle and Provisions that the Welsh term it the Mother of Wales supplying its defects although for fight it seemeth dry stony and hilly It produceth a sort of Stones called Molares very fit and good for Mill-stones and Grind-stones In this Isle were formerly seated 360 Towns and Villages but at present but 74 and hath intercourse of Traffick with two Markes Towns and hath several good Ports and Harbours as also divers Ferries for the conveyance of Passengers to and fro It s chief places are Beau-Morish Beau-Morish seated on a Moorish-ground but commandeth a fair prospect into the Sea where it hath a very good Harbour for Ships It was built by King Edward the First the better to secure his Conquest who fortified it with a powerful Castle now in good repair It is a pretty good handsom Town Corporate governed by a Major Recorder 2 Bailiffs who are Justices of the Peace and 21 Common Council called Burgesses It is the chief Shire-Town where the Assizes and Sessions are held sends a Burgess to Parliament is indifferently well inhabited and frequented as being the usual place for the reception of Passengers from London to Ireland before their taking Shipping at Holyhead It hath weekly two Markets on Wednesdays and Saturdays which are indifferent good Newburgh Newburgh seated near Brant River where it formeth a Bay and falleth into Menai River a small Borough Town governed by a Major 2 Bailiffs and a Recorder and hath a Market on Tuesdays County of Caernarvon described The County of CAERNARVON before Wales was divided into Shires bore the name of Snowden-Forest from the principal Hill therein seated which is of a very great height and extent and affordeth excellent sweet Mutton on the top of this Hill floateth a Meer and maketh a River and falleth into the Sea at Trathe-Mawer It is a County of a sharp Air very Mountainous yet not unfertil and feedeth good Herds of Cattle In this County are seated 68 Parish Churches and hath six Market Towns Caernarvon Caernarvon commodiously seated on the Sea-shoar where it hath an excellent prospect into the Isle of Anglesey It was a place of good account where the Princes of Wales had their Exchequer and Chancery for North-Wales and is a place of great strength as well by Nature as Art being encompassed on all parts except towards the East with the Sea and two Rivers and had a strong Castle where in a Tower thereof called Eagle-Tower Edward the Second the first Prince of Wales was born It is a place of no great extent having but one Parish Church its Houses and Streets are well built and ordered is well inhabited enjoyeth several Immunities sends a Burgess to Parliament is governed by the Constable of the Castle who is ever Major and hath for his assistance an Alderman 2 Bailiffs a Town-Clerk with Sub-Officers and its Market on Saturdays is very good for Corn and Provisions Bangor lowly seated on the Sea-shoar a Town in Ancient time so large Bangor that it was called Bangor the Great and was defended by a powerful Castle which long since was laid level to the ground It is at present but a small City or rather a Town yet dignified with the See of a Bishop its Cathedral is large and well built its Houses indifferent good is pretty well inhabited is governed by the Bishops-Steward who keepeth Court-Leets and Courts-Baron for the Bishop and hath an indifferent good Market on Wednesdays Nigh unto Bangor is Penmaen-maur that is the Great Stony-head Penmaen-maur being an exceeding high and steep Rock which at High-Sea so hangeth over that it affordeth a very narrow and dangerous passage but having passed this and Penmaen-byehan that is the Lesser Stony-head the Country openeth it self in a broad Plain as far as the River Conwey Aberconwey seated at the Mouth of the Conwey Aberconwey raised out of the Ruins of the ancient Canonium of Antonine being strongly fenced both with Walls and a Castle It is a pretty good Town governed by an Alderman and 2 Bailiffs which for largeness and good Buildings doth rather deserve the name of a City than a Town especially were it thicker inhabited and better resorted unto yet its Market which is on Fridays is well served with Provisions and several Country-commodities Pulhely seated on the Sea-shoar and between two Rivers Pulhely a pretty large and indifferent well-built Bailiwick Town which hath a good Market on Wednesdays for Corn and Provisions and enjoyeth a good Trade by Sea County of Denbigh described DENBIGH-SHIRE a Country very Hilly several of which are of so great a height that they retain Snow and the tops thereof in the Summer season are the Country-mans Morning-Almanack to denote a fair day by the rising of certain Vapours It is of a different Soil the Western part being Heathy is much inclined to sterility and but thinly inhabited except the part which lieth towards the Sea the Eastern beyond the Valley is much more barren and the middle where it lieth flat is a pleasant and fertil Vale and well inhabited with Gentry Here are seated 57 Parish Churches and is traded unto by four Market Towns Denbigh seated on the hanging of a Rocky-Hill Denbigh and on a branch of the Cluyd once a place of good strength when fortified with a strong Wall and an impregnable Castle The Town is indifferent large well built inhabited by Glovers and Tanners enjoyeth a good Trade by some esteemed the best Town in North-Wales is governed by 2 Aldermen 2 Bailiffs and 25 Capital Burgesses with sub-Officers electeth a Parliament man and hath a good Market for Corn Cattle and Provisions on Wednesdays Ruthin seated on the Cluyd which washeth a rich Vale Ruthin of note for its once large and fair Castle It is a large well inhabited and frequented Town Corporate governed by 2 Aldermen and Burgesses hath a large Hospital and a Free School governed by a Warden and hath a very considerable Market for Corn and Provisions on Mondays which is esteemed the best in the Vale. Wrexham seated in a good Soil affordeth plenty of Lead Wrexham and on a small River which falleth into the Dee It is an indifferent
Wye which receive those many Streams that so plentifully water the County and afford to the Inhabitants great abundance of Fish especially Salmon and Trouts in the Wye Here are seated 61 Parish Churches and 4 Market Towns Brecknock seated at the meeting of the Rivers Hodney and Vske Brecknock over which it hath a fair Stone-bridge It is a place of good antiquity and at present a very large Bailiwick Town containing 3 Parish Churches one of which is a Collegiate Church its Houses are well built was once strengthned with a stately Castle as also with a strong Wall which gave entrance by 3 Gates It is governed by 2 Bailiffs 15 Aldermen 2 Chamberlains a Town Clerk c. amongst its Immunities sends a Burgess to Parliament is a place well inhabited and the rather as being the Shire-Town where the Assizes are held It enjoyeth a good Trade for Clothing and hath weekly two Markets on Wednesdays and Saturdays which are very well served with Cattle Corn and Provisions About two miles from this Town is a large Meer or Pool some miles in compass called Brecknock-Meer where in former times stood a fair City which was swallowed up by an Earthquake Hay seated between the Wye and the Dulas Hay a Town of good note in the time of the Romans being then sortified with a Castle and a Wall It is at present a good Town and hath a very great Market for Corn Cattle and Provisions on Mondays Bealt pleasantly seated amongst the Woods and on the Banks of the Wye Bealt over which it hath a very large Wooden-Bridge which leads into Radnorshire at present a pretty small Town enjoying a considerable Trade for Stockings and hath weekly two very good Markets on Mondays for Cattle and on Saturdays for Corn and Provisions County of Cardigan CARDIGAN a County of a different Soil and ill clothed with Wood the Southern and Western parts being plain and very fertil yet not without some Hills and its Eastern and Northern parts are Mountainous and not so fertil amongst which is the Plinillimon-Hill a Mountain of a very great extent and height Here are numbred 64 Parish Churches and hath 4 Market Towns Cardigan Cardigan formerly strengthned with a Wall and a fair and spacious Castle built on the side of the Tywye upon a Rock long since brought to ruin It is a Town no less pleasantly than commodiously seated on the said River Tywye over which it hath a fair Stone-bridge sustained by several Arches and is of no great distance from its influx into the Sea and being the Shire-Town where the Assizes are held and the County-Gaol kept is well inhabited and frequented being a large Town though containing but one Church which is a fair Structure and is graced with a well built Shire-Hall with several good Buildings and as a Town Corporate is governed by a Major Aldermen Common Council with sub-Officers enjoyeth several Immunities electeth a Parliament man and hath an indifferent good Market on Saturdays Llanbeder Llanbeder seated on the Tywye over which is a Bridge which leadeth into Caermarden-shire an indifferent good Town governed by a Port-Reive and Steward and hath a Market on Tuesdays which is well resorted unto for Grain and Provisions and from the latter end of April to the beginning of July is very great for Sheep Heifers Cows and Calves Aberysthwy Aberysthwy seated on a rising-Rising-ground and on the Banks of the Ridall near its influx into the Sea a Town once strengthned with a Wall and Castle now ruinated It is a long and ill-built Town governed by a Major with sub-Officers hath a very great Market for Corn Wool Cheese and Provisions on Mondays and is a place much resorted unto by reason of its Fishing-trade and would be more were its Inhabitants industrious Near unto this Town is Lhan-Badernvaur a well-built Town graced with a fair Church which was formerly an Episcopal See and is now the Parish Church of Aberysthwy County of Caermarden CAERMARDEN-SHIRE is generally of a fertil Soil both for Tillage and Pasturage as not being so Mountainous as its Neighbouring Counties and is well watered with Rivers as the Tovye Taoy Lough or Taff which with others discharge themselves into the Sea plentifully serving the Inhabitants with Fish and Fowl and in many places are dug Pit-Coal Here are seated 87 Parish Churches and is traded unto by 8 Market Towns Caermarden Caermarden pleasantly seated on the Towy over which it hath a fair Stone-bridge and is navigable for small Vessels having a good Key for the lading and unlading of their Merchandizes It is a place well inhabited and traded unto and as a Town Corporate is governed by a Major 2 Sheriffs elected out of 16 Burgesses or Aldermen all clad in Scarlet with other sub-Officers Amongst its Immunities electeth a Parliament man keepeth Courts for the trial of Causes is the place where the Assizes are held and hath weekly two Markets on Wednesdays and Saturdays which are very great for Corn Cattle and Provisions both Flesh Fish and Fowl in great plenty This Town glorieth in giving birth to Merlyn that famous British Prophet or South-sayer Llancharn Llangharn or Llangharne seated on the Towye near its influx into the Sea a well-built Town of some Trade having several Vessels belonging to it and its Market which is on Fridays is very good for Corn and Provisions Near unto this Town is a Wich or Salt-work where good quantity of Salt made Llanelly seated on a Creek of the Sea a pretty good Town Llanelly which is well traded unto for Sea-Coal and hath a Market on Thursdays of good account for all sorts of Cattle Corn and Provisions Llandilovawre seated on the Towy over which it hath a fair Bridge Llandilovawre a pretty good Town having two Markets weekly on Tuesdays and Saturdays for Cattle Corn and Provisions and the Parish to which this Town belongeth is about 13 miles in length and 7 or 8 in breadth Llanymdofry seated amongst Rivers Llanymdofry a pretty fair Bailiwick and Town Corporate and hath two very great Markets weekly on Wednesdays and Saturdays for Provisions and the greatest in the County for Cattle and Sheep County of Glamorgan described The County of GLAMORGAN is of a temperate and healthful Air and of a different Soil and Scituation the Northern parts being extreamly Mountainous full of thick Woods very barren and thinly inhabited yet are found to feed good Herds of Cattle and to send forth several fresh Streams the chief amongst which are the Tavye Taff Ogmore Rumney Elay Nid or Neath c. and the Southern part which is washed by the Severn Sea and receiveth the said Rivers is more upon a level is very fertil both for Corn and feeding of great quantities of Sheep and Cattle is well inhabited and thick beset with Towns and Houses of the Gentry This County numbreth 118 Parish Churches and hath the accommodation
principal Xecque that is a Chief which conducts and commands them they living almost in the same manner as the 12 Tribes of Israel did in the Desarts They preserve a good Intelligence amongst themselves their chief design being only upon Strangers They assault likewise the Caravans if they think themselves able enough to master them or snatch any thing from them Their Horses commonly are little lean and sparing Feeders yet couragious swift and of great labour They are so skilful in managing them that they command them as they please and themselves are so active that at full speed they will shoot an Arrow within the breadth of a Shilling take from the ground those Arrows they have shot and avoid an Arrow flying directly towards them nor do they manage less skilfully the Sling either in charging retiring or flying The first rise of Mahometism Mahomet came not into the World till about the year 570 after Christ and began not to publish and shew abroad his Doctrine till a little after the year 600 a Doctrine intermixed with Christianity Judaism and Paganism that he might draw both the one and the other and which established its principal end in Delights carnal and sensual Pleasures whereto the Oriental People were very much inclined and withal he found the means to make use of Arms for the establishment of this Doctrine his Califs or Successors in a short time carried their Government and Religion into the best parts of Asia and Africa and into some places of Europe It s People are almost all Mahometans There are some Greek Christians towards the Mounts of Sinai and Horeb likewise towards the Red Sea and in the Desarts of Arabia the Stony and Arabia the Desart Arabia the Happy is unhappy in having the fewest yet the Portugals hold Mascates Calasates and some places about it which are Catholicks PERSIA or the Empire of the SOPHY of PERSIA with its several Provinces as they lie Towards the CASPIAN Sea or Sea of BACCU and SALA which makes the Northern part of PERSIA and are those of Servan Tauris Sammachi Servan Ardevil Serga Bacca â—â—kâ—era Gilan Rast Gaxhar Mazandaran Layon Mosun Gilan Cassabi Gadiour Dilemon Allamoed Dilemon Thalekan Tabarestan Aâ—â—erâ—â—ad Zarâ—â—â—â—â— Magâ—â—â—â—n Gorgian Gorgian Obâ—â—oen Darâ—egan Semnan Rhoemus Bestan Bâ—yâ—â— Zabrawar Thous Masâ—ndn Feraway In the MIDDLE to wit those of Churdistan Naksivan Merend Choy Maraga Salmas Ourmaya Cormaba Ayrack or Yerack-Agemi Hispahan Casbin Saltania Dankane Hamadan Hrey Sauwa Kom or Com Kargh Cassian Yesd Chorasan Thabs Gilack Kayem Thon Zuzan Mexat Nichabour Zarchas Firabad Maruwe Bonregian Balch Herat. Sablestan Zarang Bost Necbesaet Gisna-Cassaby Tocharestan Thaalan Candahar Candahar Patanes Grees Bach Balch Towards the South and washed by the ARABIAN or INDIAN Ocean and by the Gulph of BALSORA and ORMUS and are those of Chusistan Souster Askar Moukeraâ— Ardgan Hawecz Ramhormoz Siapour Saurac Fars Chiraef Aftackar Lar Darabegred Stahabonon Gombroun Kherman Cherman Girost Zirgian Mocheston Guadel Nahyan Patanis Sigistan Sistan Mackeran Mackeran Basir Together with several ISLES as they lie in the Gulph of BALSORA and nigh unto PERSIA the chief among which are Ormus Ormus Queixome Pulor Coyar Ficor Lar. Mulugan Garge PERSIA THe Kingdom or Empire of the Sophy of the PERSIANS is one of the most famous and greatest of all Asia it extends it self from the Tigris and Euphrates on the West almost to the River Indus on the East and from the Gulph of Persia and the Arabian and Indian Sea which bounds it on the South unto the River Gehon and to the Caspian Sea now the Sea of Baccu or Tabarestan which are its Northern limits The extent bounds scituation c. of Persia so containing about 600 Leagues of length and 500 of breadth being seated under the third fourth fifth and sixth Climats Nevertheless this is but a part of the ancient Empire of the Persians for the Assyrians having ordinarily held in Asia all that which both Turk and Persian at present possess and that Monarchy having begun under Ninus and lasted under thirty and odd Kings 13 or 1400 years ending in Sardanapalus divided itself into that of the Medes and Babylonians who continued it little less than 300 years afterwards the Persians made themselves Masters of it and these during 200 and odd years which they Reigned remitted to it the best part of what the Medes and Babylonians had possessed But when they would have passed into Europe and have seized on Greece the Macedonians and Greeks leagued themselves together The Persian Empire formerly much larger than now it is and naming Alexander King of Macedon their Chief descended into Asia several times defeated Darius ruined the Empire of the Persians and gave a beginning to that of the Macedonians Alexander the Great held this Empire but few years and dying it was divided among many of his Captains who took in the end the title of Kings and waged War against each other till the Romans seized the Western and the Parthians the Oriental part of that Monarchy these Parthians freed themselves from the Rule of the Macedonians 250 years before the Birth of Jesus Christ and Reigned near 500 years Artaxerxes restored the Persians 228 years after Christs Nativity The Caliphs of Bagdat became Masters about the year 650. The Tartars in 1257 or 58. The Turcomans in 1478. Xa or Xecque Ismael-sophy re-established the Persians a little after the year 1500 and though they possess only the Oriental part of the ancient Empire of the Persians yet it is still very great and powerful The several Parts or Regions of Persia And we find at present under it all that the Ancients knew under the names of Media Hircania Margiana Assyria in part Parthia Aria Paraponisa Chaldea or Babylonia in part Susiana Persia Caramania Drangiana Arachosia and Gedrosia all these Regions taken apart being great fair rich and populous To the Right Worshipfull Sr William Courteney of Powderham Castle in Devonshire Bart. This Mapp is Hu-mbly didicated by RB A MAPP OF THE EMPIRE OF THE SOPHIE OF PERSIA WITH ITS SEUERALL PROUINCES Designed by Moncr. Sanson Geographer to the French King Province of Gilan and its chief places c. The Province of GILAN or GVEYLAN contains five Governments of which the chief Cities are Rast Gaxhar Layon Gilan Mosun and Gadiour besides about 30 fair and rich Cities Mazandaran which some separate from others joyn to Gilan hath in its Government 25 Cities and in the City of Mazandaran about 50000 Souls All these quarters would have revolted in 1594. but Xa Abbas soon brought them to their duty and chastised them for their offence Province of Dilemon The Province of DILEMON hath its Metropolis of the same name then Allamoed Gowar and Thalekan In the description that those of the Country give us of these places Allamoed seems to answer to Dilemon Province of Tabarestan The Province or TABARESTAN extends more than 60 Leagues on the Coast
Princes Lords Nobles and Gentry of the Country on condition that they keep for his service some 1 some 2 3 4 5 some 10 some 100 some 1000 and upwards of Horses which are to be always in readiness his Armies nevertheless consist for the most part of 100000 Horse and 200000 Foot and this besides his ordinary Garrisons His Subjects are strong and robustious use all sorts of Armes go freely to all occasions wanting nothing but Order and Policy They have no considerable Forces at Sea since the Portugalls hold from them in the Kingdom of Cambaya the City and Fortress of Diu Daman Basaim of the Isle of Saltette near Bensaim the Fort of Manora and the Rock of Asserim The Country stored with Cattle Fowle and Fish The whole Country is stored with several sorts of tame and wild Creatures as Buffes Oxen Cowes Sheep Deer Wild-Asses Bores Hares c. Variety of Fowl and Fish here are also found Crocodiles some of which are 30 foot long Cormorants and Bats as big as Crows The Mogols guard The great Mogolls ordinary Guard consists of about 12000 men besides 600 of his life guard he never stirs abroad to hunt take the Air or the like without the attendance of about 10000 men of all degrees besides to make his stare the greater there are 100 Elephants richly trapt and covered with Scarlet Velvet or the like on these Elephants there are seated two men the one to guide him and the other which supports a large Banner of Silk richly embroydered with Gold and Silver but on some of the Elephants which go foremost instead of carrying Banners they play upon Simbretts and other such like Instruments after these 100 Elephants comes the Mogoll either mounted on an excellent Persian Horse or else in a Coach or Sedan attended by his Nobles and other Courtiers after whom come about 500 Elephants Camels His State and great attendance and Wagons which are to carry the Baggage for commonly he encamps in the Field in which he takes great delight by reason of the coolness as also by reason few Cities are able to give entertainment to so great a retinue and besides his going thus to hunt or take the Air he often changes the place of his abode according to the seasons of the year The Mogoll celebrates with great pomp and state the first day of the year They have several Festival daies which they keep in great triumph wherein they have several divertisements of sports and recreations and especially the birth day of the Mogoll The language which the Great Mogoll and most people of quality speak is the Persian tongue The Inhabitants are very expert at the Bow The diseases which are common amongst them are Fevers and the Bloody Flux Their Horses are not good but their Oxen are excellent being here used instead of Horses which are very mettlesome As in this great extent of ground which we call the Mogolls Country there are several sorts of People so likewise are there divers sorts of Religions some of which I shall speak a word or two of The Benjans are Pagans they use neither Circumcision nor Baptisme they believe there is a God who created them and made the Universe but they worship the Devil believing that God created him to govern the world and do mischief to mankind to which end in all their Mosques they have the figure of him in Statues of Gold Silver Ebony Ivory Marble Stone and Wood this figure in shape is ugly and horrid to look on it is placed on a Table of Stone which serves for an Altar and receives the Offerings which are made to the Pagode on the right side of this Table is placed a Trough in which those who intend to do their devotions wash and Purifie themselves and on the other side there is a Chest in which is put their Offerings night to which in the wall is a Vessel out of which the Braman or Priest takes out a kind of yellow stuff with which he marks the foreheads of them this Braman sits at the foot of the Altar from whence he riseth often to say Prayers In their Mosques they always burn Lamps and about the Walls of them are abundance of Figures as Beasts Devils c. which they adore They much use as a part of their Religion corporal purification bathing themselves every day They are very ingenious subtil and civil there being no trade but what they apply themselves unto and are very expert in the adulteration of all Commodities They are civil in their Apparel but their Children go naked untill the age of 5 or 6 years and at 7 8 9 or 10 years of age they marry them seldom staying untill the age of 12 especially the female sex as thinking it a great shame to live so long unmarried and in their marriages they observe several ceremonies The Men are not only permitted to marry twice or thrice in case of mortality but also if their Wives prove barren but the first hath a preeminence as being mother of the Family their Sons are Heirs to their Fathers Estates but withall they must maintain the Mother and take to Wife their Sisters The Bramans or Priests are of great authority and highly respected amongst them insomuch that the Benjans will hardly engage themselves in any matter of concernment without the advice and approbation of them These Priests besides their expounding the mysteries of their Religion according to their fancies which soon take impression in the minds of these superstitious people have an oversight of Schools where Children have their education When the men are to go a journy they desire the Braman to have a care of their Wives untill they return and to supply their places another custom they have that when any are married the Bride is brought to the Braman and he is earnestly requested to enjoy the first fruits of her without which they think the marriage is not blest and for so doing he hath gifts presented him according to the qualities of the persons The Benjans believe the transmigration and immortality of the Soul thinking that the Soul of a good man is departed into the body of a Chicken or a Pigeon that of a wicked or cruel man into a Lion Tiger or Crocodile that of a glutton into a Swine that of a crafty man into a Fox c. for which reason they neither eat nor kill any thing that hath life nay they are so far from destroying them that on the contrary they will purchase them of the Mahometans and set them at liberty and for those that be lame or sick they have Hospitals for them as in Persia J. Albert de Mandelslo in his Book of Travels saith that the Benjans are divided among themselves into 83 principal Sects besides an infinite number of others those of most note as comprehending all the others are those of Samarath Ceurawath Bisnow and Goeghy The Parsis and their Religion Besides the
Food for three daies There is likewise 200 Banias or Stews 200 Inns of which some have more then 100 Chambers 400 Mils which daily work 1200 Mules Among its Colleges the building of that of King Hahu Henon cost 500 thousand Duckats being a most curious and delicate Building all enriched with Mosaicque work of Gold Azure and Marble its Gates are of Brass In this Colledge are abundance of stately Buildings as Cloisters Halls Baines Hospitals c. It hath a stately Library in which besides other Books are 20000 Volumes in Manuscript They have 150 publick necessary houses built so commodiously that the Waters carry away the ordure To its Walls it hath 86 Gates which serve for entrance into the City South East of the old Fez is the new City The New City of Fiz at a Mile or 1200 paces distance this is almost only for the House and for the Officers of the King The Palace where he ordinarily resides and the Palaces of the principal Lords the Mint a stately Temple c. are in the first quarter The Officers of the Court and the Captains of the guard hold almost all the second and the Kings Guards alone had formerly the third Now a good part of this last quarter is possessed by Jews and Goldsmiths and part of the second by divers Merchants and Artisans In this City of Fez as generally throughout these parts they have abundance of Conjurers Fortune-tellers Juglers and Inchanters who are in some War esteem amongst them It s People are of a duskish or blackish complexion of sly Stature tall and well proportioned they are of an active disposition for and Horse-manship otherwise excessive idle they are very subtle close perfidious inconstant proud much addicted to Luxury and therefore by consequence very jealous of their Wives whom they keep with great severity and that the more according to their external graces they are very revengeful if injured and hard to be reconciled In their gait they have much of the Spaniard in them in their Apparel they go very sumptuous and rich but their Food is but very gross Their Religion As to their Religion they are either Mahometans or Heathens and are for the most part inclined to Literature and Arts. Their Magistrates and Justice In this City are four sorts of Magistrates one for the Canon-Law one for the Civil-Law another for Marriages and Divorcements and another as an Advocate to whom they make their appeal In the Administration of Justice they are more or less severe according to the hainousness of the offence In their Marriages they observe many Ceremonies as being agreed they are accompanied to the Church by their Parents Relations and Friends which Ceremony being ended they are invited to two Banquets the one at the Bridegrooms cost and the other at the Brides Relations which being done the Bridegroom causeth the Bride to be conducted to his House with Musick and Torches being accompanied with their Friends and being entred the House she is immediately lead to the Chamber door and delivered by her Father Brother or some of her Kindred to his Mother if living who there waits for her coming who immediately is redelivered to him who forthwith conducts her to a private Chamber where he enjoyeth her and if she is found to be a Virgin which will appear by the blood which will proceed which perceiving they drie up with a Napkin and carry in their hands to shew the Company with great joy and then they make Feasts and are very merry But if she be contrary and that no blood is caused then they judge her Virginity lost and thereupon the Marriage is frustrated and with great disgrace she is turned home to her Parents This with several other Ceremonies are omitted in the Marriage of a Widow Here the Women at the death of their Friends assemble themselves together habit themselves in Sack-Cloth and Ashes and sing a Funeral Dirge to the praise of the Deceased and at the end of every verse howl and crie and this they do for seven daies together during which time her Friends send in Provisions and come and comfort her for their custom is not to have any meat drest in the House of Mourning during the said time especially untill the Corps is interred 1. The City of Mahmora fell into the hands of the Portugals in 1515 was presently retaken by the King of Fez who defeated 10000 Christians and gained 60 pieces of Artillery The Kings of Spain likewise made themselves Masters of it 1614 and have fortified it because of the goodness of the Port. 2. Sala or Sally hath been the residence of some Kings of Fez. It is composed of two Cities the Old and the New and hath a great Trade with the English French Hollanders and Genoueses It s Fortress is on a rising ground with a high Tower which discovers the Sea In the Castle the King Mansor and others his successors have their magnificent Tombs The place was taken by the Castilians and retaken from them some years past and afterwards abundance of the Moors of Granado driven from Spain retiring thither have fortified and enriched it with their Piracies 3. Mechnese between Sally and Fez is in the middle of a Plain where for 5 or 6000 paces there is only Gardens filled with excellent Fruits The City is well built its Streets large and well ordered Its Inhabitants liberal and civil but alwaies in jealousie against those of Fez. Divers Aqueducts bring water to the City and furnish the Temples Bains Hospitals and Colledges and private Houses Asgar is a Province between the Rivers of Suba Province of Asgar and Lusus or Lixa on the Coast it extends itself far up the Land towards the City of Fez and hath fair and fertile Fields with an Air so pleasant that formerly the Kings of Fez passed here a part of the Spring in Hunting 1. Elgiumha or Elgiuhma in the way from Fez to Larrache and formerly the fairest of the Provinces serves now only as the Granary where the Arabs store up their Corn. 2. Casarel-Cabir a place of pleasure which Mansor caused to be built between the Fens the Forests the Sea and the River may now have about 1500 Houses adorned with a stately Hospital a Colledg and many Temples The Battel which Don Sebastian King of Portugal lost was here fought In which it is observable that the three Chiefs of the Armies which that day met all died viz. Don Sebastian of Portugal in the field of the Battel Muley Mahomet of Fez in favor of whom Don Sebastian passed into Africa was drowned passing the River of Mucazin to save himself in Arzile and Abdelmelech of Morocco the Conqueror died with labour and pains or with the sickness with which he was seised before the Battel all three competitors for this Kingdom with several others of eminent quality 3. Lharais or Larrache once Lixos which some among the Ancients say was greater then the Great
square Obelisks full of Egyptian Hieroglyphicks of a vast bigness and each of one entire piece of Stone said to be thrice as big as that at Rome or that at Constantinople Near these Obelisks as Sir Henry Blunt relateth are the ruines of Cleopatra's Palace high upon the shore with the private Gate whereat she received Mark Antony after their overthrow at Actium And he saith That about a bow shoot further upon another Rock on the shore is yet a round Tower which was part of Alexanders Palace This City after the Romans were Masters of Egypt was steemed the second of their Empire And when the Arabs seised it there was counted 12000 Sellers of Herbs 4000 Bathing-houses 400 Play-houses c. Thus was the former state of this City but at present almost a heap of ruines especially the East and South parts not the moyety of the City being inhabited And were it not for some conveniencies of Trade or the like more then any pleasure of the place by reason of the evil Air which reigns there it would be soon left wholly desolate It is now inhabited by a mixture of Nations as Turks Jews Greeks Moors Copties and Christians Now remarkable for a Mosque in which St. Mark their first Bishop was said to be buried Yet their rests still within and near the City many Obelisks Columus Footsteps of pround Building c. The City of Rosetto Raschit or Rosetto a pritty little City seated on the Nile four miles from the Mediterranean Sea a place of no strength but of a great Trade and well furnished with several sorts of Commodities Its Buildings are stately both within and without and is only defended by a Castle being without Walls or other Fortifications This City in ancient times was noted for a place of all kinds of Beastliness and Luxury Damiata is a fair City The City of Damiata and its Land excellent famous for the often Sieges laid unto it by the Christian Armies in Anno 1220. Who for 18 Moneths continuance did stoutly defend themselves till in the end the Enemy hearing no noise some of them did adventure to Scale the Walls who finding no resistance the Army marched in who then found in every house and corner heaps of dead bodies and none to give them burial and searching them found them to die of Famine and of the Pestilence which grievously raged amongst them Which lamentable spectacle must needs add terror to the beholder This City was built as some Authors say out of the ruines of Pelusium which was built by Peleus the Father of Achilles who for the murther of his Brother Phocus was by the gods commanded to purge himself in the adjoyning Lake This place as Heylin noteth was the Episcopal See of St. Isidore sirnamed Pelusiotes whose Pious and Rhetorical Epistles are yet extant And at this place Ptolomy the famous Geographer drew his first breath And these three Cities after Cairo are at present the fairest of Egypt There are abundance of other Cities which are yet in some repute as Suez and Cossir seated on the Red Sea Suez noted for its Arsenal and Cossir for its reception of the Merchandizes of the East and Saiet a fair Town not far from Cairo on the Nile by some said to be the dwelling place of Joseph and Mary whither they sled with Christ for fear of Herod where are yet the ruines of a fair and beautiful Temple which as they say was built by Helena the Mother of Constantine with several others too tedious to name But to speak truth Egypt is nothing in regard of what it was under its first Kings with several other as I have set down in my Geographical Tables as they are found in the said Twelve Cassiliffs and are all commodiously and pleasantly seated on the Banks of the Nile which traverses the whole Countrey dividing it self into several streams especially in the Higher Egypt where with several Mouths it fullâ— into or receives the Mideterranean Sea Also I have noted several Cities seated on the Red Sea to which I refer the Reader The Lakes of Bucheira and Moeris In this Countrey are two Lakes the one is called The Lake of Bucheira in the Territory of Alexandria and is about twelve Leagues in length and seven in breadth the other is called The Lake of Moeris in the Cassilifs of Giza and Fium and is about 27 Leagues in length and 20 15 10 5 and 3 in breadth Thus much for the Description of the Countrey In the next place I shall treat of the Inhabitants as to their Laws Religion Customs Antiquities Hieroglyphicks Stature Habit c. Also the Fertility and Rarities of the Countrey amongst which I shall end with the Description of the Nile Their Laws execution of Justice Their Laws as to Justice and Government are perfectly Turkish and therefore I shall refer the Reader to the Description of the Turks as ye may find it treated of in the Description of Constantinople their Metropolitan City Yet for rigor in their punishments they exceed other parts of Turkey and that by reason of the treacherous malicious and base dispositions of them their executions being different according to the quality of the Crime for some offences they use slaying alive for others impaling cutting them off with a red hot Iron at the Waist for others oynting with Honey in the Sun also some they hang by the Foot and the like cruelties The ancient People of this Countrey were Heathens worshipping the Sun Moon and Stars sacrificing to Apollo Jupiter Hercules and the rest of the gods also attributing divine honors to Serpents Crocodiles as also to Garlick Onions and Leeks But the god which thay most adored was Apis a coal-black Ox with a white Star in his Fore-head two Hairs only in his Tail and the form of an Eagle on his back but now Mahometism is much received amongst them The Christian Faith was here first planted by St Mark who was the first Bishop of Alexandria And these Christians are all of the Jacobites Sect observing the same Customs and Forms of Ceremonies in their Religion as those formerly treated of in Asia Its antiquities Among the many Rarities or Antiquities of this Countrey are the Pyramides as also the Obelisks and Columns spoken of before next on the Banks of the River Nile stood that famous Labyrinth built by Psamnicus a place of an exceeding great bigness containing 1000 Houses besides 12 Royal Palaces within an intire Wall Which had but one entrance but exceeding many turnings and windings which caused the way to be exceeding difficult to find the building being as much under ground as above The buildings were of Marble and adorned with stately Columns The Rooms were fair and large especially a Hall which was the place of their general Conventions which was adorned with the Statues of their gods and composed of polished Marble Not far from the Pyramides doth stand the Colossus being in form of an
Zeila is well frequented by Merchants nigh to a lofty Promontory which they call Mount Fellez And the last is seated near the Cape of Guardafuy The People inhabiting on the Sea Coasts are descended from the Arabs and of the Mahometan Religion but those towards the Inland Countries of the old Aethiopick Race and wholly Gentiles The Coast of Abex with its chief places and Isles The Coast of ABEX hath for its principal places Aquico of old Magnum Littus Maczuma Isle Macaria Insula and Suaquem Ptolomais Ferarum The Turk hath a Bassa at Suaquem and some say another at Maczuma or Aquico Suaquem is in the midst of the Coast of Africa which lies on the Red Sea or Arabian Gulph distant from Sues in Egypt which ends this Gulph 250 and odd Leagues and from Babel-Mandel which begins it 260 or little more So the Authority of this Bassa extenâ—â— almost quite over this Sea The Isle of Maczuma hath good Pastures feeds much Cattle Aquico is almost opposite to Maczuma and both have commodious Havens It s other chief places are Canfila Daffila Emacen Barba Zama Corberia and Carna About this Coast of Abex are several other Isles as Bahia de Cabras Suaquem Mire Meger Ballaccia Maczua St. Peitre with several others not worth the naming All this Coast of Abex hath been under the Government of Bernagasso in Abyssin and belonged not to the Turk till within this hundred years A Country dry untilled but of some Trade the People fierce retaining much of their ancient Barbarism They Fish Coral near the Isle of Suaquem and Aquico they frequently pass from Suaquem to Ziden in Arabia which serves for a Port to Mecca and is about 100 Leagues over This is the Traject which the Arab of Nubia describes between Adhab and Giodda which answer to Suaqnem and Ziden The Empire of the ABYSSINS or the LOWER AETHIOPIA with its Empires Kingdoms Land c. which may be divided into or comprehended under three Parts or Heads and then The First shall contain The Kingdom of CONGO with its Kingdoms or Provinces of LOANGA Loango Sette Majumba Quanvi Quiloogo Sellaga Kaye Katte PANGO Pango Cundi Funquenes Angote Chicaco de Lula SUNDA Sunda Betequa Quincasso SONGO Sonho Bommo Matinga Cascais Melemba Calinde Palmarinho Mombalas Quivala BAMBA Bamba Mussula Lengo Loanda St. Pavo Fort Mols Motole Bengo Azele PEMBA St. Salvador Pemba Tinda Simba Lemba BATTA Batta Agisimba Gongou ANGOLA Engaze Maisirgan Benguela Quicongo Manikimsombo Manikilondo Gunze Mapongo Embacca GIAQUES Zaire Dagar Elifie MALEMBA Meri Debsan The Second shall contain The Empire of MONOMOTAPA with its Kingdoms or Parts of SUTUA Batua Carma Zet Dobdel Augesa Calburas Bafat Quiticui Degme Hagala Giera Amara Matagasi Bera Armeta Gallica MONOMOTAPA particularly so called Monomotapa Zuggi Tialso Zimbro Jouros Garma Mosata Vigiri Magna The Empire of MONOEMUGI wherein are some Kingdoms whose chief places are Agag Astagoa Leuma Camur Beif Bagametro Zembre The Third shall contain The Land and Coast of CAFRES which encompasseth the Empire of MONOMOTAPA with its Parts of MATAMAN Angra dos Negros Cabo Negro Doileus portus Coast of CAFRES particularly so called Cape St. Anthony Cape St. Lucia St. Martins-Bay Cape of Good Hope Carascalis Portus Biscarius Portus St. Nicholai CHICANGA Zimbaos QUITEVA Deje Cuama ZEFALAN Zefalan THE EMPIRE OF THE ABYSSINS Or THE Lower Aethiopia The Lower Aethiopia and the Power and Riches of its Emperours THE Empire of the ABYSSINS Heylin makes to be the Dominions or Empire of Prester John and saith That he is of such great force that he is able to bring into the Field upon a sudden occasion a Million of Fighting Men and of his Wealth and Riches many speak wonders some saying he is able to purchase half of all the World if it were to be sold Others make it not so great but say that besides his necessary expences in the management of State Affairs the payment of his Army the pomp in his Court c. he lays up yearly in his Treasury Three Millions of Crowns But without doubt his Revenue and Force is great for it is said That he himself proffered the Portugals a Million of Money and another of Men if they would employ them in a War against the Infidels The Government of this Emperour is absolutely Tyrannical the People being used more like Slaves than Subjects treating them as he pleases as well to their lives as Estates giving Honours to whom he pleases which upon any slight occasion he taketh away again He is held in such great reverence among all his Subjects as well Rich as Poor that at his name they bow their Bodies and touch the ground with one of their fingers and reverence his Pavilion as they pass by it though he is not in it And to keep up this Reverence which he holds due to him he seldom shews himself to his Subjects and then not without his Crown on his head a Silver Crucifix in his hand and his Face covered with a Veil of Taffety which according as he is pleased to grace the person he talketh with he lifteth up and putteth down to shew him his Face His Titles The Title of this Great and Mighty Emperour I shall borrow from Heylin who thus hath it N. N. Supream of his Kingdoms and the beloved of God the Pillar of Faith sprung from the Stock of Judah the Son of David the Son of Solomon the Son of the Colomn of Sion the Son of the Seed of Jacob the Son of the Hand of Mary the Son of Nahu after the Flesh the Son of St. Peter and Paul after the Spirit Emperour of the Higher and Lower Aethiopia and of the most Mighty Kingdoms Dominions and Countries of Xoa Goa Caffares Fatigar Angotae Balignazo Adea Vangne Goyame where the Fountains of Nile Amara Banguamedron Ambea Vagucum Tigremean Sabaim the Birth-place of the Queen of Sheba Bernagassum and Lord of all the Regions unto the confines of Egypt They prosess the Christian Religion Their Religion which was first made known unto them by the Eunuch of Queen Candace who was baptized by Philip the Evangelist and more generally received by the Preaching of St. Matthew the Apostle Since which they have much swerved from the purity of the true Religion by their many corrupt Opinions which are crept in amongst them as they use Circumcision both to their Males and Females when they are Children and they Baptize their Males 40 days and their Females 80 days after Circumcision That Infants dying unbaptized are sanctified by the Womb by vertue of the Eucharist which the Mother receives after her Conception They administer the Eucharist to Infants presently after they are Baptized They Baptize themselves in Pouds and Lakes every Epiphany-day as supposing that to be the day that John Baptized Christ in Jordan They hold that the reasonable Soul of Man is derived from their First Parents by Seminal Propagation They acknowledge but one Nature and
MALTA Marzasirocco Vallettâ— il Borgo Madalena Medina St. Maria Meleca St. Maria Loretâ—â— Rodumifessa GOZA Goza Cast Scilendo Cumin Cumin Forfala Gamelera Chercura Lampedusa Limosa Panthalaria Galata Albusama In the Occidental or Atlantick Ocean as On the Coast of MOROCCO as the ISLES of Madera Tonzal Sancta Crâ—â— Porto Sancto The CANARY ISLES or ISLES of Forteventura Forteventura Chabras Lanegala Lancellotta Lancellotra Porto de Cavallos Grand Canaria Canaris Tedele Arginogy Teneriffe Laguna St. Crux Gomer Gomer Fer Hierro Palma Palma St. Andre The ISLES seated about those of the CANARIES Graclosa Alegria St. Clara Rocco Savages The ISLES of CAPE VERD or the ISLES of St. Antonio St. Vincent St. Lucia St. Nicholas Salt Bonavista Mayo Fuego Brava St. Jago St. Jago Ribera Grande In the Meridional of AETHIOPIAN Ocean as Between GUINY and the Lower AETHIOPIA where are the ISLES of St. Thomas Pavoasan Princes Anncabon St. Matthew Assension St. Helena Perdinando Po Tristan de Cunha Goncalo Alvarer On the Coast of ZANGUEBAR as the ISLE of Madagascar or St. Laurence Vingâ—gora Tombaja St. Andrew Cacambout Port of St. Vincent St. Anthony St. Augustine Boamarage Angoada The ISLES seated about the Isle of MADAGASCAR and in the Sea of ZANGUEBAR particularly so called among which are those of Zocotora Penda Zanzibara Sanctus Rochus Monfia St. Christophers St. Esprite Comerae Aliadorae Syrtium Nona Baixos St. Anthony St. Maria Radix St. Maurice Mascarenhae Diego Roix Johannis de Lisboâ— Sancta Clara Sancta Justâ—â— or Juliani St. James St. Vincent In the Red Sea or Sea of Mecque And on the Coast of the Higher AETHIOPIA as the ISLES of Bahia Cabras Suaquem Miri Meger Maczuam Balaccia St. Piâ—trâ— THE ISLE OF MADAGASCAR OR St. LAURENCE Isle of Madagascar with its length and breadth THE Isle of MADAGASCAR or St. LAVRENCE is much greater than any about Africa if not the greatest of both Continents It stretches it self from a little on this side the 12th unto a little beyond the 26th degree of Meridional Latitude which are more than 14 degrees of Latitude but sloping from North North-West to South South-East it is from Cape St. Sebastian to that of St. Romain about 400 Leagues long It s breadth ought to be considered at twice in that part nearest the Equator it is 60 or 75 Leagues broad in that part towards the South the least breadth passes 120 and stretches sometimes to 150 Leagues Its Commodities and Trade Our last Relations say That it hath Mines of Gold Silver Copper Iron Rocks of Chrystal and excellent white Marble that there are found Emralds Saphirs c. many sorts of Gums and Rozins especially great store of that Gum which the Druggists call Dragons Blood which they extract out of the Flowers of a certain Tree which grows there They have also Talque Cotton Indico Sugar Canes Saunders Ebony Ivory Honey Wax Hides Their Ground yields Salt Salt-Peter and in most places Grains and upon their Sea Coasts is found abundance of Ambergreese And for these and several other Commodities that are here found are brought them in exchange Corals Pater-Nosters Chains Beads Bracelets Glass-Pendants and divers Toys c. It s People and their abode Its Inhabitants are for the most part Black or very Tawny and some White which in all appearance came from Asia They are of a good Stature and well shaped are very tractable and courteous to Strangers and more especially to the French than any other Europeans are addicted to idleness and not caring to cultivate the Earth their clothing is only a piece of Cotton-cloth of several colours which they fasten about their Middles and hangs down to their knees and on their Heads a Cap made of the Bass of a Tree besides which they adorn themselves about their Neck Arms Legs c. with those Toys aforesaid Their Feeding is exceeding gross their Houses are no better than Hog-sties or little Huts made of Branches of Trees except those of their princes which are made of Wood but of no large size nor over handsom They lie upon Mats and their Cloth which they wear about them in the day serves for a Coverlid in the night They are Heathenish and given to Adoration some say they adore the Devil using Sacrifices which they do in the Woods not having Churches they have no Civil Form of Government but he that can make the greatest party and hath the greatest Family is in most esteem and command to which end they have as many Wives as they can keep to increase their Progeny The Isle very plentiful of Cattle They have a great number of Oxen Sheep Kids Hens of divers sorts and quantity of Rice they make Wine with Hony and certain Roots which is so strong that they are frequently drunk with it they have for the most part those Beasts that are found among us but yet all with some difference Their Oxen have between their Neck and Shoulders a great lump of Fat which they esteem excellent Their Sheep have their Tails 20 Inches about and as much in length Their Goats are very high and their Hogs little They have Salamanders Camelions of divers colours Apes of many kinds and believe that these Apes would speak but for fear they should be compelled to labour They have Crocodiles and Tortoises of which some have their Shells so great that they will cover 10 or 12 Persons and they find sometimes 5 or 600 of their Eggs as big as Hens Eggs their Flesh is delicate and fat in taste resembling Veal They have other Tortoises which are only 3 or 4 foot diameter and their Shells being polished are figured with divers colours of which they make Cabinets little Boxes and other pretty Moveables esteemed in the Indies and in Europe Their Fowls Their Pheasants are stronger and fairer than ours their Partridges bigger and of divers colours They have Paroquets as big as Crows and black another middle sort and some as little as our Larks the one and the other of divers colours They have Singing-Birds not yielding to those of the Canaries Their Bees are little their Hony excellent their Ants flie and leave on the Bushes where they light a white Gum which they use instead of Glue Their Colibri or Fly-Bird scarce weighing two Bees so little is it feeding only on the Dew it sucks from Flowers They catch in their Seas an infinite quantity of Fish among others Skates so great that they are able to satisfie 300 persons one meal Their Date-Trees supply them with Drink their Orchards with Fruits their Cotton with whereof to make Thred and Stuffs for Clothing their Indico with a Blew colour their Tamarind refreshes them their Rape or Balasier blacks their Teeth which by them is esteemed a great Beauty they gather Aloes from several Trees One of the principal riches of the Country is Ebony both for its beauty smoothness and black colour and for the flame and odour it yields in
Port Royal it contains about twenty houses only serving for the conveniency of passage from Port Royal to St. Jago It s other places are Port Morant in the Eastern point Port Morant a very capacious and secure Harbour and hereabout is a Potent Colony of the English seated Old Harbour a good Bay for Ships to ride in Old Harbour Port Negril Port Negril in the extream Western point very commodious and secure to windward in which Men of War do often ply when they look for the Spanish Ships not far from which place was seated the old Town of Melilla founded by Columbus Port Antonio seated on the North Port Antonio a very safe Land lock't Harbour at the mouth of which lyeth a small Isle wholly taken up by the said Earl of Carlisle with divers other good Bays and Harbours along the Coast It s other chief places are Sevilla seated in the North part of the Isle Sevilla once beautified with a Collegiate Church whose Chief bore the title of Abbot amongst whom was Peter Martyr who described the History of the West Indies by Decades Mellilla And Mellilla seated on the North East where Columbus mended his Ships at his return from Veragua This Island was of considerable importance to the Spaniards by reason that all his Plate-Fleet which comes from Carthagina steer directly for St. Domingo in Hispaniola and from thence must pass by one of the ends of this Isle to recover Havana which is the common Rendezvous of this whole Armado before it returns home through the Gulph of Florida nor is there any other way whereby to miss this Island because he cannot in any reasonable time turn it up to the windward of Hispaniola which though with great difficulty it might be performed yet by this means he would lose the security of his said united Fleet which meet at Havana from all the parts of the Bay of Mexico Nombre de Dios and elsewhere accompanying each other home The Isle Boriquem with its chief places described BORIQVEM is little less either in Circuit or Fruitfulness than Jamaica St. Juan del Puerto Rico is the Residence of a Bishop and a Governor It hath an excellent Port which sometimes communicates its name to the Island El Arricibo and Guadianilla or St. Germain are the other Cities all the Isle hath few Ports it is traversed by a Chain of Mountains which cut it from West to East here is sound a white Gum which they use instead of Pitch to caulk their Ships and instead of Tallow to make Candles and for want of other Medicaments for Wounds and Sores besides its Gold Sugars and Gayac it hath many Salt-Marches These four Isles are the greatest and chiefest of the Antilles the rest are numerous and ought to be considered under the names of the Lucays and Caribes The Lucays are North of Cuba and Hispaniola of which Lucayon is the chief the greatest and the most Northernly of all Bahama gives its name to the Channel which is between the Isles and Florida a Channel so rapid that in despite of the Winds it carries Ships from South to North or rather from South-West to North-East Guanahani is the first Land which Columbus discovered near America and named in St. Salvador because he had been in danger to have been cast into the Sea by his own men in the fear they had that they should find no Land The CARIBE ISLES THE CARIBES or CANIBALS ISLANDS are so called from its Native Inhabitants who were Canibals or Men eaters and these are a great Body of Isles forming a Demy-Circle towards America Meridionalis the chief of which are set down in the Geographical Table and which I shall take notice of and first with Barbados BARBADOS the most considerable Colony the English are Masters of amongst all the Caribe Isles Barbados It s scituation is in the North Latitude of 13 degrees 20 minutes and although but of a small Circuit not exceeding eight Leagues in length and 5 in breadth where broadest yet it is a Potent Colony and able on occasion to Arm about 10000 Fighting men It s strength which with the natural strength of the Isle is able to give resistance to the powerfullest Foe It is exceeding fertil bearing Crops all the year long Fertility and the trees always cloathed in their Summer livery but the two seasons for Planting is in May and November but the Sugar Canes are Planted all the year round And here are found to grow in great plenty excellent Fruits as Oranges both sweet and sower Fruits Pomgranates Citrons Lemmons Limes Macows Grapes Juniper Apples Momins Acosous Papayers Monbains Icacos Raysins Cherries Cocos Indian Figgs Plantins Bonauves Guavers Castard Apples prickle Pears and Apples Millons both land and water and Pine Apples the rarest Fruit in the Indies They have great plenty of Fish and Fowl Fish and Cattle common with Jamaica and other places in the Indies and have also a competent stock of English Cattle and Horses but something dear by reason they imploy their Grounds better than to breed upon and most roots herbs and seeds and flowers common with us in England are found to thrive and grow very well The Commodities that this Isle produceth are Sugars Indico Cotton Wool Commodities Ginger Fustick and Logwood but especially Sugar Indico Cotton and Ginger lading yearly therewith 200 sail of Ships both great and small to the great enrichment of the Inhabitants and profit of England This Isle lying so near the Equinoctial Line cannot but be hot yet not so but that travel and labour is sufferable and that occasioned by the cool breezes of wind which riseth with the Sun and bloweth fresher as the Sun mounteth up And the Air is found very moist so that all Iron-tools are much subject to rust This Isle is not over plentifully watered with Rivers or fresh Springs there being but one that may appropriate that name or rather a Lake which runneth not far into the Land notwithstanding which defect the Inhabitants have no want of water for the Land lying low and even there are several Ponds and most houses have Wells or Cisterns which holds the rain water And here is a River called Tuigh-River remarkable for that on the top of the water is gathered an Oyl which is made use of to burn in Lamps Its Trees Amongst the Trees here growing which for the most part are appropriate to the rest of the Caribe Isles those of most note are the Cedar Redwood Mastick Locust the Iron wood tree also the Cassia Fistula Coloquintida Tamarind Cassavie of which is made their Bread the Poyson tree and the Physick Nut also the Calibash the Shell of whose Fruit serveth like Goards to carry liquid things in the Mangrass tree the Roucou of whose Bark is made Ropes as also Flax which being spun is imployed to several uses the Lignum Vitae and the Palmeto Here are several
Salt-pits near the Point de Salinas The principal Fortress that the Portugals hold here is De los tres Reyes or the three Kings on the right hand of the River The Coast of Brazile from Cape de Frio until on this side of that of St. Augustine and so to the middle of the head of Potengi stretches from South to North and continually regards the East The rest of this Capitany and that of Siara Maranhan and Para extend from East to West regarding the North and are the nearest to the Equinoctial Line The Coast of these four last Capitanies hath no less extent on the Sea than that of all the others together but are worth much less The Capitany of Siara with its Commodities The Capitany of SIARA is among many Barbarous People and therefore not much frequented yet is of some trade by reason of the Cotton Chrystal Precious Stones and many sorts of Wood which are here found They have likewise many Canes of Sugar which are of no use there being no Sugar Engines in the Country The Capitany of Maranhan with its chief places The Capitany of MARANHAN is an Isle which with some others is found in a Gulph about twenty five Leagues long and broad This Isle hath forty five Leagues Circuit hath twenty seven Villages of which Junaparan is the chief and in each Village four five or 600 men so that the French made account of 10000 men in this Island The fertility of the Country with its Commodities The Air serene temperate and healthful the Waters excellent and which scarce ever corrupt on the Sea The Land as fruitful as any in America yielding Brazile-wood Saffron Cotton Red-dye Lake or Rose colour Balm Tobacco Pepper and sometimes Ambergrease is gathered on its Coast The Land is found proper for Sugar and if it were tilled would produce Grains some say it hath Mines of Jasper and white and red Chrystal which for hardness surpasses the Diamonds of Alenzon It is well watered with fresh Rivers and pleasant Streams well cloathed with Woods in which are store of Fowl The people are strong of body Its Inhabitants and Apparel live in good health commonly dying with age the women being fruitful till eighty years of age both Sexes go naked until they are married and then their apparel is only from the Wast to the Knees which is Manufactures of Cotton or Feather-works in which they are very ingenious The Country or the Isle of the Tapouies The Tapouy Tapere that is the Country of the Tapouies is another Isle East of Maraguon at Full-sea it is an Isle on the Ebb only Sands separate it from the Continent The soll is yet better than that of Maranhan it hath but fifteen Villages the chief bearing the name of the Country they are greater and better peopled than those of Maranhan The Country and City of Comma West of Tapouy Tapere and on the firm Land Comma a City River and Country of the same name is of no small value it s fifteen or sixteen Villages are as well peopled as those of Tapouy Tapere Between Comma and Cayetta which approaches Para are divers people descending from the Toupinambous as those of Maranhan and Comma descend from the Tapouyes The French were likewise divers times possessed of the Isle of Maranhan Ribaut was here in 1594. Ravardiere in 1612. This last chose a most commodious place in the Island and built the Fort of St. Lewis the Portugals drove them out in 1614 and built new Forts St. Jago and Neustra Sennora Among the Rivers that full into the Gulph of Maranhan Miari is the greatest then Taboucourou The Capitany of Para with its Commodities The Capitany of PARA hath a square Fort seated on a Rock raised four or five fadom from the neighbouring ground and well walled except towards the River it hath four or five hundred Portugals who gather in the Country Tobacco Cotton and Sugar This Capitany holds beyond the Mouth of the Amazone Corrupa and Estiero and among the Mouths of that River Cogemine Of a temperate Air. Brazile hath an Air sweet and temperate though under the Torrid Zone the daies and nights being almost equal the freshness of the Sea Rivers and ordinary Dews contributing much to its wholsomness They lie very subject to Storms and Thunders and if it lighten in the evening it is without Thunder if it Thunder without Flashes That which likewise proves the goodness of the Air is that their Serpents Snakes Toads c. are not venemous Serpents Toads c. not venemous here but often serve for food to the Inhabitants yet the soil is more proper for the production of Fruits Pastures and Pulse than the Grains or Vines of Europe They carry them Wine and Flowr Corn being subject to spoil on the Sea The Natives use Rice and Manjoche to make their Bread It s fertility and Commodities They have likewise quantity of Pulse Trees which bear excellent Fruits Herbs Four-footed Beasts Birds and Fish in great abundance many of which are not known to us many sorts of Palm-trees which yield them great Commodities they have some Mines of Gold but more of Silver but the riches of Brazile is drawn from the Sugars and the Brazile-wood which comes from their Araboutan a mighty Tree which bears no Fruit. They have abundance of Parroquetos among their Monkeys they have black ones and of divers colours the most part very pleasant The skin of the Tapiroussou curried becomes so hard that it makes Bucklers not to be pierced by the strongest shot Arrow The Inhabitants of Brazile and what they are addicted unto their Customs c. Their Habit. The Brazilians are of a mean stature gross headed large shouldred of a reddish colour their skins tawny they live commonly to a hundred and fifty years and free from diseases caring for nothing but War and Vengeance They wander most part of their time in Hunting Fishing and Feasting in which Manjoche furnishes them with Bread Cumin-seed with Drink and and the Flesh of Beasts or of their Enemies cut in gobbets and some Fish are their most excellent meats The men are very cruel forgetful of courtesies received and mindful of injuries The Women are very lascivious they are delivered with little or no pain and immediately go about their affairs and not observing the custom of a Months lying in as is used among us They let their hair grow long which ordinarily hangeth over their shoulders both Sexes go naked especially till Married They are esteemed excellent Swimmers and divers being able to stay an hour together under water They paint themselves with divers colours all over the body on which they leave no hair not so much as on their Eye-lids but only a Crown about their Head and fasten a Bone which is well polished and some little Stone which is esteemed amongst them in their upper Lip and Cheeks Others cut their skin in Figures and
part where are The Dutchies of And the Charollois in part Charolles Brabant Leuvain Brusselles Limbourg Limbourg Luxembourg Luxembourg Thionville Guelderland in part Ruremonde The Counties of Flanders Gand or Gaunt Lille Artois Arras St. Omer Hainault Mons Valenciennes Namur Namur The Marquisate of the Empire where is Anvers or Antwerp The Signieury of Malines Malines And near the LOW COUNTRY The Archbishoprick and Signieury of Cambray Cambray The County of Linghen Lighen To the R t Hon John Egerton Earle of Bridgewater Visc Berckley Bar t of Elsmere L d Leiutenant Buckingham Shire one of L d of his Matys most Hon. Privi Councell c. This Mapp is Humbly Dedicated by R B A GENERALL MAPP OF THE EMPIRE OF GERMANY with its severall Estates Designed by Monsieur Sanson Geographer to the French King c. GERMANY AND BELGIUM Or THE Low Countries Its Bounds Latitude and Longitude GERMANY is in the midst of those three parts which we have placed in the middle of Europe and extends it self from 45 ½ unto 54 ½ degrees of Latitude and from the 28th unto the 41 of Longitude This position shews that it lies in the middle of the Temperate Zone This Germany may be considered in three great parts of which each may be subdivided into three others We will call the great parts Germany about the Rhine Germany about the Danube and Germany about the Elbe and the Oder all which with its lesser parts are taken notice of in the Geographical Tables of Germany according to which method we will proceed and then the first will be the Franche County or BVRGVNDY which is bounded with Bress Switzerland Lorraine and Champaine It s ancient Inhabitants were the Hedui who first called Julius Caesar into France and its People are at present esteemed warlike marching under the Colours of divers Princes and are known by the name of Walloons It is a Country so fertil that it hath been called the Flower of France within whose bounds some do esteem it It hath for its chief places 1. Besanson the Metropolis of Burgundy seated on the banks of the Doux a City of good strength and beauty and made an Vniversity by the commands of Charles the Fifth and Pope Julio the Third 2. Dole in the Balliage of Dole a Town of great strength riches and beauty famous for its Colledge of Jesuites 3. Gray in the Balliage of Amont and 4. Salius in the Balliage of Aval of some account for its rich Salt Fountain Besides these places in Burgundy are numbred 20 walled Towns and about 160 Lordships Province of Lorrain LORRAINE bordering on Burgundy famous for having had for its Duke Godfrey Sirnamed Bulloigne the Recoverer of the Holy Land from the Turks its Dukes now enjoy little else save the Title the Country being seized by the French It is of a fertil Soil affording plenty of Corn and Wine and hath store of Salt It s chief places are 1. Nancy in the Balliage of Francois once dignified with the Seat of the Duke 2. Vandrevange 3. Mirecourt 4. Vancoleur the Birth-place of Joan de Pucelle 5. Pont-a-Mason so named by reason of its Bridge over the Mosa 6. Metz and 7. Toul Country of Barrois Between this Province and Champaine lieth the Country of BARROIS and belongeth to Lorrain whence the eldest Sons of these Dukes were styled Princes of Barri It s chief places are Bar-le-Duc and St. Michael The several parts of the Catholick Low Countries The Catholick LOW COVNTRIES may be contained under the Dukedoms of Brabant Limbourg and Luxembourg the Earldoms of Flanders Artois Haynaut and Namur the Marquisate of the Empire the Signiory of Malines c. The whole Country is exceeding fertil yet found not very advantagious to the Spaniards who are Masters of it Dukedom of Brabant BRABANT for the most part of an ungrateful Soil yet well inhabited and stored with walled Towns and Villages the chief amongst which are 1. Lovaine a fair and large City being about four miles in circuit within its Walls and six without wherein are many delightful Gardens and Meadows and is of note for its Vniversity where there is a Seminary for English Jesuits 2. Brussels a City for its fairness and elegancy of its Buildings its extent being as large as Lovaine giveth place to few in the Netherlands It is at present the residence of the Spanish Governour for the Low Countries and 3. Breda once the Seat of the Prince of Orange till taken by the Spaniards City of Antwerp To the Dukedom of Brabant doth belong the Marquisate of the EMPIRE whose chief place is Anvers or Antwerp seated on the Schelde out of which it hath eight Channels cut the biggest of which are capable to receive about 100 great Ships which doth much facilitate its Trade it is a fair and large City being about seven or eight miles in circuit within its Walls which are strong high and broad enough for Coaches to pass on which the Nobility and Gentry commonly use to recreate themselves In this City are abundance of Painters and Gravers whose work is well received abroad To this Dukedom doth also belong the Signiory of Malines whose chief place bears the same name likewise the Archbishoprick and Imperial City of Cambria of good account and the Bishoprick and Imperial City of Liege seated on the Meuse a Town of good beauty being so filled with fair Abbies and Monasteries that it is called the Paradice of the Priests Dutchy of Limbourg LIMBOVRG hath many good Towns the chief of which are 1. Limbourg seated on the Banks of the Weser and giveth name to the Dutchy 2. Mastrich a place of great strength being held almost impregnable yet was gained lately by the French but through the assistance of the English under the command of his Grace James Duke of Monmouth 3. Dalen fortified with a Castle c. Dukedom of Luxembourg LVXEMBOVRG Northwards of Lorrain said to contain about 1000 Villages and 23 walled Towns the chief of which are 1. Luxembourg seated on the Elze 2. Thionville which with the other places suffered much in the time of the Wars betwixt France and Spain Forrest of Ardenna The Spaw In this Province is the famous Forrest of Ardenna once about 500 miles in compass now scarce 90 and in it or on its edges is the no less famous Waters of the Spaw so much frequented by the Europeans in and about the Month of July being found exceeding good for several Diseases in the body Man FLANDERS Earldom of Flanders described FLANDERS should be the most famous of all these Countries since it communicates its name to them all it is divided into Tutone Wallone and Imperiale The chief Cities and places in this Earldom are 1. Ghent whose Walls are seven miles in compass and was once of great beauty but now through the Seditiousness of its Inhabitants it is much ruinated a good part of it being
wast-wast-ground it is watered by the Rivers Scheld and Ley which run through the City and make 26 Islands which are conjoyned by 98 Bridges This place is particularly famous for being the Birth-place of John of Gaunt Duke of Lancaster 2. Bruges seated on a large and deep Channel of the Sea from which it is distant about three Leagues once a famous Mart Town but now of small account as to matters of Traffick 3. Ipres seated on a River so called a Town of great strength 4. Graveling or Gravelines feated on the Sea-shoar a place of good strength and 5. Lisle of some account The four principal Ports in Flanders are 1. Dunkirk now in the possession of the French a place of good strength especially of late when the English were Masters of it nigh to which is the impregnable Fort of Mardike also so made by the English The Inhabitants of this Town are found very troublesom on the Seas to those that are their Enemies 2. Ostend an exceeding strong place as is manifest by its holding out a Siege of three years three months three weeks and odd days against the Arch-Duke nigh to which was fought that bloody Battel in 1660 between the Arch-Duke Albertus and the States where by the valour of the English the Victory was gained and 3. Sluce seated at the Mouth of the Channel of Bruges where it enjoys a fair and commodious Haven capable to receive about 500 Sail of good Ships now subject to the States of Holland Throughout all Flanders are a great many Religious-houses and Nunneries which are filled with vertuous Gentlewomen for the most part Maidens who live a Religious life and at spare times makes curious Works which are disposed of by the Lady Abbess Earldom of Artois The Earldom of ARTOIS North of Flanders is divided into Wallone and Flamingat and said to contain about 750 Villages and 12 walled Towns the chief among which are 1. Arras where the Tapestry Hangings and Cloths of Arras were first invented and made 2. Hesdinfert a very strong Frontier Town towards Picardy 3. Bappaumes 4. St. Omer and 5. Aire Earldom of Haynault The Earldom of HAYNAVLT West of Flanders is said to number about 900 Villages and 24 Towns the chief amongst which are 1. Mons an ancient and strong Town 2. Valenciennes so seated on the Scheld that it cannot be besieged except with three Armies at one time 3. Maubeugel 4. Avesnes about which are digged excellent white Stones for building 5. Landrechies and 6. Philippeville Earldom of Namur The Earldom of NAMVR North of Brabant hath about 180 Villages and 4 walled Yowns viz. Namur Charlemont Bovines and Valencourt This Country is very fertil in Grains hath store of Mines of Jasper all sorts of Marble and abundance of Iron Under the subdivision of the Provinces upon the Rhine may be comprehended Alsatia the Palatinate of the Rhine the Archbishopricks and Electorates on the Rhine the Estates of the Succession of Cleves and Julier and the Vnited Provinces of the Low Countries c. Province of Alsatia ALSATIA Westwards of Lorrain hath for its chief places 1. Strasbourg formerly Argentina because here the Romans received the Tribute of the Conquered Nations seated in Lower Alsatia near the Rhine from which here is a Channel cut for the conveyance of Commodities This City is about 7 miles in circuit is a good place of strength and famous for its many Rareties as its admirable Clock a description of which I shall here set down which was given me by an Ingenious person who took this particular account thereof FOR the curiousness of the Work it self I cannot set it forth neither can any man take pleasure of the Workmanship but such as see it In the whole work there are Nine things to be considered which ascend up one above another as the description sheweth whereof eight are in the Wall the ninth and that the most wonderful standeth on the ground three foot or such a matter from the Ground and Wall and that is a great Globe of the Heavens perfectly described in which are three Motions one of the whole Globe which betokeneth the whole Heavens and moveth about from the East to the West in four and twenty hours the second is of the Sun which runneth through the Signs there described by that Artificial motion it hath once every year the third is of the Moon which runneth her course in 28 days So that in this Globe you may view as if you had the Heavens in your hand the Motions of the whole Heavens the motion of the Sun and Moon every Minute of an hour the rising and falling of every Star among which Stars are the Makers of this work Dassipodius and Wolkinstenius described yea better than in the true Heavens because here the Sun darkneth them not by day nor the Moon by night The Instruments of these Motions are hid in the Body of a Pelican which is portraied under the Globe The Pole lifted up to the Elevation of Strasburgh and noted by a fair Star made in Brass the Zenith is declared by an Angel placed in the midst of the Meridian The second thing to be observed which is the first on the Wall are two great Circles one within another the one eight foot the other nine foot broad the uttermost moveth from the North to the South once in a year and hath two Angels the one on the North-side which pointeth every day in the Week the other on the South-side which pointeth what day shall be one half year after The Inner circle moveth from South to North once in a hundred years and hath many things described about it as the Year of the World the Year of our Lord the circle of the Sun the processions of the Aequinoctials with the change of the Solstitial points which things fall out by the motion which is called Trepidationis the Leap-year the Movable Feasts and the Dominical Letter or Golden Number as it turneth every year There is an immovable Index which incloseth for every year all these things within it the lower part of which Index is joyned to another round Circle which is immovable wherein the Province of Alsatia is fairly described and the City of Strasburgh On both sides of these Circles on the Wall the Eclipses of the Sun and Moon are which are to come for many years even so many years as the Wall might orderly contain The third thing which is to be seen a little above this is a weekly motion of the Planets as they name the day as on Sunday the Sun is drawn about in his Charriot accordingly as the day is spent and so drawn into another place so that before he be full in you shall have Monday that is the Moon clean forth and the Horses of Mars's Charriot putting forth their heads and so it is for every day in the week On this side there are nothing but dumb Pictures to garnish the Wall